S15: A hawk in a blizzard
by IMC Librarian
Summary: The Cyclonian empire is gone. Master Cyclonis is no more. Atmos is at peace. And the Storm Hawks... are no longer needed. Everyone goes their separate ways, but after Aerrow and Radarr receive an invitation, they find a warm heart in a cold place looking out for them.
1. Table of contents

IMC Librarian  
Story 15  
**A Hawk in a Blizzard**

* * *

[CH1: Squadron disbanded]  
Terra Cyclonia is destroyed. Master Cyclonis is gone. Atmos is at peace. Are the Storm Hawks needed anymore?

[CH2: Invitation for Aerrow]  
With the Storm Hawks disbanded, Aerrow and Radarr receive an invite card... with the insignia of the Absolute Zeros.

[CH3: Normal to extraordinary]  
Aerrow learns that being a new member of the Absolute Zeros isn't really that hard, but after he saves Suzy-Lu from an unexpected mishap, he starts to question the limits of their relationship as just friends and Sky Knights.

[CH4: A warm embrace]  
It's Aerrow's 16th birthday, and... Suzy-Lu has something to say from her heart.

[CH5: Frost race]  
Aerrow and Suzy-Lu have been together for a while now. Today, they're partaking in a race on Terra Blizzaris. After that, a little quality time with the group.

[CH6: Interspecies relations]  
A calm day in Atmos, and our two Sky Knights decide to have the evening to themselves.

[CH7: An awkward moment]  
While looking for Aerrow after a marathon of sports, Suzy-Lu tries on her boyfriend's old Storm Hawk outfit out of curiosity. However, when Aerrow walks in and sees her, things get... embarrassing.

[CH8: Two dating Sky Knights]  
On this sunny day, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu decide to have their first date... at Terra Neon.

[CH9: After the union]  
Years into their relationship, and happily married, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu become the first human/Blizzarian family in Atmosian history.

[CH10: Guests of honor]  
The Rex Guardians have sent out invitations to every member of the disbanded Storm Hawks squadron for a long overdue celebration.

[CH11: Icy surprise]  
When Suzy-Lu takes interest in Aerrow's signature move, their son grows curious and eavesdrops on a demonstration.

[CH12: The prodigal son]  
Aerrow and Suzy-Lu's son, Danny-Sky, has passed the Sky Knight trials. He intends on protecting his home, and he's just in time.

[CH13: A little help from the cavalry]  
The Murk Raiders are attacking, and Aerrow's sent out a call for assistance in repelling these pirates.

[CH14: Nightmare of the past]  
Taking a much needed vacay, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu's family and squadron are invited to Terra Tropica for a bit of fun. But things go downhill when the sight of a vaguely familiar figure surfaces Suzy-Lu's memory of a terrible experience.

[CH15: Sick day]  
It's all fun and games until you about catch a serious illness from freezing water. Aerrow learns this lesson the hard way while racing Billy-Rex down a hillside obstacle course.

[CH16: Radarr]  
It was a strange time to be thinking about why Radarr stayed with Aerrow for so long, so when the sky monkey felt... lonely, Aerrow and the others decided to bring him back to Terra Neverlandis. But would he be accepted by his own kind?


	2. CH1

S15-1  
**Squadron disbanded**

* * *

With Terra Cyclonia destroyed, and the Cyclonians gone for good, all of Atmos was at peace, and the Storm Hawks headed for Terra Atmosia to discuss what they should do next.

Surprisingly, Finn was packing his bags. "Dudes, it's been awesome being a part of this team."

"Wait a minute. Finn, what's going on?" Aerrow wondered, watching Finn pack his guitar.

"What do you think? Atmos doesn't need the Storm Hawks anymore. Cyclonia is gone forever! Besides, I got an invitation." He held up a card... with the symbol of the Interceptors!

Junko joined the conversation. "Wait. So, Starling invited you to join the Interceptors?"

"I was surprised too. But then I remembered that it's... just her. I guess she's looking to rebuild her squadron." Finn had a point.

"Maybe she could set you up straight, probably even help with your... musical talent." Piper added, giggling to herself.

Finn nodded, then shot Piper an angry glare upon hearing Piper's last two words. "I heard that! I'll have you know that my music-"

"Saved an entire quadrant." Stork interrupted. "We know. We were there. So was Starling. Remember Polaris Pointe?"

"Oh. Right. Polaris Pointe. Almost forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder, Stork!" Finn shot the helmsman a couple of finger guns. Stork groaned and walked out.

Aerrow and Piper shared a glance, then turned back to Finn as he finished packing.

"Welp. It's been great, dudes. See you around." With that, Finn headed out, bringing his stuff out with him.

A few minutes later, Finn's Skimmer could be seen rolling out of the Condor, transforming, and flying off.

"Do you think he might be right?" Piper wondered.

Aerrow turned his attention to Piper. "About what? About it being awesome to be a Storm Hawk? I just think it was great to be a part of something that matters."

"Well, you're right about being part of something that mattered. But I meant what he said about Atmos not needing the Storm Hawks anymore." Piper looked away for a moment. "It's been months since we brought the Cyclonians down and out forever. Nothing's happened since."

"Huh. Not sure what we'll do now." Aerrow had no plans for this.

Piper started to walk away. "I guess... we just go on with our regular lives?"

Before Piper could exit the bridge, Aerrow put a hand on her shoulder. "What about you and me? We could settle down, maybe get together?"

"Settling down? That I can do. Getting together? Sorry, Aerrow, but..." Piper turned to look Aerrow in the eyes, a solemn expression on her face. "We're just friends, and... you're just not my type. I've... had my eyes on someone else for a while after we took down Cyclonis. Don't worry, Aerrow. I'm sure you'll find that special someone." With that, Piper departed from the bridge, looking to clear out her room on the Condor and move out.

Junko was leaving too, and he already packed everything. "I think I might settle down here in Terra Atmosia. Seems like a good idea. Seeya, Aerrow. Good luck, man. You too, Radarr."

"Yeah. Bye, Junko." Aerrow said, waving to the Wallop. Radarr looked up at Aerrow, concerned about him. The Sky Knight took notice. "Well... I guess it's official... The Storm Hawks aren't needed anymore..."

It was then that Stork approached them. "Need a ride back to Terra Neverlandis, Aerrow?"

Aerrow took a deep breath and sighed. "No... I can fly there myself."

"Alright. Oh, and I'm not keeping... him." Stork pointed to Radarr, who narrowed his eyes and growled at the Merb. "Take him with you."

Radarr climbed up to his perch on Aerrow's shoulder, ready to get going. "Not yet, Radarr. We still have to pack up our things before heading off."

Stork turned to exit the bridge. "I'll warm up your Skimmer for you."

Eventually, Aerrow and Radarr's room was cleared out, and their belongings were packed into bags hooked onto Aerrow's Skimmer. "I guess this is it, Stork."

"I... guess it is. I know I kept saying we were doomed, but... Oh how I was wrong every single time. We always pulled through, no matter the challenge." Stork was starting to get a bit teary-eyed.

Aerrow gave the Merb a pat on the back. "Anything you're planning on doing?"

"Well, I might go to Terra Tropica. I need a vacation..." Stork seemed... on edge.

Aerrow gave him another pat on the back. "I'm sure you do."

"So, you... understand why I... rammed Cyclonis." The Merb was getting increasingly nervous.

Aerrow smiled at Stork. "You panicked. I would too if I had half a Terra thrown at me. Not sure how she survived that. But an Oblivion Crystal? Didn't know you had one. Could've used that a long time ago."

"That? Pssh. Picked it up from what was left of Terra Cyclonia before we chased Master Cyclonis into the Far Side."

"Huh. Good eye. Seeya, Stork." Aerrow blasted off, returning to Terra Neverlandis.

When Aerrow and Radarr touched down on Terra Neverlandis, the two found what was left of Aerrow's old fort, and got to work on making it more suitable for long-term use as an actual house.

* * *

New story online!

Something else happening in later chapters.

See you next time.


	3. CH2

S15-2  
**Invitation for Aerrow**

* * *

It's been weeks since the Storm Hawks disbanded, and Aerrow has been a bit... busy. Visiting other Terras, intermingling with the inhabitants, getting to know all the people the Storm Hawks helped, this now squadless Sky Knight has been all around.

Coming back from Terra Aquanos, Aerrow hung his clothes and got a dry outfit. "Tritonn sure knows how to throw a party. Couldn't enjoy all the festivities though." Radarr facepalmed at Aerrow. "I'm not looking to join another squadron, Radarr. I just wanna join the activities. Besides, I'm not like the Neck Deeps. I'm human, not Aquanosian. I can't stay down there as long as they can."

Without warning, there was a knock at the front gate, followed by the revving of a vehicle engine. Aerrow headed outside, seeing nobody there. "OK. That's strange."

Radarr scampered out, seeing a card just outside the outer wall. One look at it and he let out a confused chirp.

"What is it, buddy?" Aerrow wondered. Radarr picked up the card and handed it to Aerrow. "Huh. An invitation from the Absolute Zeros? Think we should look into this?" Radarr nodded at him. "Then let's fly."

After some uneventful flying, Aerrow and Radarr touched down on Terra Blizzaris, and the Blizzarians were in the middle of one of their games.

"Let's find Suzy-Lu, and ask her about the card." Before Aerrow could get off his Skimmer, Radarr pointed to one of the Blizzarians partaking in the festivities. It was the Sky Knight of Terra Blizzaris herself. "Oh. There she is. Thanks, Radarr."

Suzy-Lu was throwing snowballs at wooden targets, alongside the other contestants. Once the event was over, Suzy-Lu was declared the victor. "That was fun, eh? Never knew I could hit that many in a row." It was then that she noticed a certain visitor. "Oh! Hey, Aerrow. What brings you here?"

"This was left on my porch." Aerrow said, holding up the Absolute Zero invitation card.

"Right. That. About slipped my mind." Suzy-Lu chuckled. "I sent you the invite because I saw how alone you were after the Storm Hawks broke apart. Figured you'd be out with Piper."

Aerrow's smile faded. "She... said I wasn't her type."

Suzy-Lu seemed pretty mad. "Oh how I am gonna... Piper doesn't know what she's in for."

"I'm not stressing out over it, but I was a little... shocked when she said it. It's no big deal." Aerrow then became suspicious. "Wait. Why do you care so much about this?"

"You need someone special in your life. You should get out and find yourself a girlfriend." Suzy-Lu had a point. Aerrow was a teenager, so he was at that point in his life.

Aerrow waved the card in Suzy-Lu's face. "We're getting off-topic."

"Figured you'd wanna be part of a team again." The Blizzarian Sky Knight then took notice of Aerrow's companion. "Radarr too. What do you say?"

"I'm not sure. It's cold here. And I'm... not a Blizzarian." Aerrow struck a good point.

Suzy-Lu put a hand on Aerrow's shoulder. "Who said you needed to be a Blizzarian to join the Absolute Zeros? It's like how you had a Wallop and a Merb on your old team. Besides, we'll figure something out."

"I... suppose I could give it a try." Aerrow was in. Sort of.

The Blizzarian Sky Knight took a look at Aerrow's Skimmer. "After your old team disbanded, you still adorn their insignia on your ride?"

"It's history. Think of it as a way of saying who I was." Aerrow was right.

"To say you were a Storm Hawk, announcing your direct involvement in the end of the Cyclonian Empire once and for all. Gotta admire that." Suzy-Lu grinned at him.

Aerrow looked at her suspiciously again. "If I officially join the Absolute Zeros, are you gonna take away the Storm Hawks insignia in favor of your own squadron's symbol?"

"Nah. I'd just put our insignia next to it. Can't cover up the fact that you were a Storm Hawk." She pulled one of the shields off the side of Aerrow's Skimmer, examining it. "Huh. The original Storm Hawks sure had some interesting ideas, eh?"

"The shield's a good idea. Saved me from the Dark Ace one time." Aerrow admitted, taking the shield back. "Anything I should do to prove my worth? Some sort of initiation? A test?"

"We need to see if you have what it takes." Suzy-Lu said, blowing a bubble.

Aerrow looked around, with not a threat in sight. "Against what? Nothing's threatening Blizzaris."

Suzy-Lu chuckled at him. "Good point. Can't really give you a test if there's nothing to test ya with."

It was then that Billy-Rex made a suggestion. "How about Murk Raiders?"

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu looked at him with stern expressions, saying a single word in unison. "No!" Billy-Rex held his hands up and backed away.

"Well, I got no ideas. Whatcha got, Aerrow?"

"Nothing. I was hoping you had something. Got any ideas, Radarr?" Aerrow wondered. Radarr jumped from his seat on the Skimmer and wrote in the snow. "'2ic'? What does that mean?"

Suzy-Lu took a closer look. "Second-in-command, eh? Nah. Don't need that." Radarr went back to his seat, slumping down in defeat.

"Would an extra member in general be reasonable enough?" Aerrow asked the Blizzarian Sky Knight.

Suzy-Lu nodded. "I guess I can go with that." She then pulled something out of her pocket. "Want one?" A stick of gum, like what she was chewing.

"Sure." Aerrow accepted the gum, unwrapped it, and tossed the pink strip into his mouth.

"Welcome to the Absolute Zeros, I guess. Didn't really have anything planned out for ya. If it doesn't work out, you can leave at any time, and I'll understand. Sound alright with you?" Suzy-Lu wondered.

Aerrow tried to blow a bubble, but ended up accidentally spitting the gum out. "How do you do that?"

"Maybe you should stick with just chewing the gum."

* * *

I didn't really have any ideas either. I'll try and find something next time.

I can't blow bubbles either... I always spit it out when I try.

See you in the next one.


	4. CH3

S15-3  
**Normal to extraordinary**

* * *

A few months have passed, and by the looks of it, Aerrow and Radarr have become technically official members of the Absolute Zeros. Their insignia was added next to the symbol of the Storm Hawks on the armor and Skimmer that were brought over.

When Aerrow came out of his makeshift home on Terra Neverlandis, wearing a new casual outfit given to him by his new squadron, he saw Suzy-Lu's Ice Grinder, but no sign of the Sky Knight herself. "Suzy-Lu? You out here?" It was then that he heard a familiar sound.

Turning around, Aerrow saw Suzy-Lu with his Twin Energy Blades, standing in Aerrow's signature battle stance. "Gotcha, Aerrow!" She giggled, disengaging the weapons and standing back up straight. "Blue Striker Crystals. Heard they're rare."

"You definitely caught me off guard there." Aerrow chuckled, taking back his blades. "What brings you out here?"

Suzy-Lu shrugged, blowing a bubble. "Just thought I'd check on you. This place you got? It's alright... for a squadless hobo. And that ain't you. It's moving day, Aerrow. Better pack your things. I'll meet you back at Blizzaris."

Before Aerrow could protest, Suzy-Lu hopped on her Ice Grinder and flew off.

Now alone with Radarr, Aerrow looked at their makeshift residence. "I guess a real house wouldn't hurt. Better get started." Within the hour, the old fort was emptied out.

When Aerrow and Radarr arrived at Terra Blizzaris, something new was immediately noticeable. There was another house being built, and the Absolute Zeros were working on it.

While Radarr stayed with the Skimmer, Aerrow made his way to the construction site. "Hey, guys. What's going on here?"

Billy-Rex was the one to answer him. "Suzy-Lu said we should put up a new house. Told us it was for a new member of the Absolute Zeros. Welcome to the team, man." He stood up, dusting himself off. "Where's, uh... your Skimmer? And where's Radarr?"

"My Skimmer's sitting over on the hill over there, and Radarr's waiting with it." Aerrow said, pointing over his shoulder.

"Gotcha."

As Billy-Rex headed over to Aerrow's Skimmer, Suzy-Lu turned her attention to the other Sky Knight. "I think the rest of my squad can finish the construction without me. Hey, Aerrow. How's it goin?"

"All good here." Aerrow flashed her a thumbs up.

"That's good." Suzy-Lu put her staff against a wall, then walked up to Aerrow. "Hungry?" Aerrow's growling stomach was the only answer she needed. "I know a place. Skyside Shanty. Ever heard of it?"

"Reminds me of the time the Condor got swallowed whole by this Terra-sized creature called a Leviathan. You should've been there. We freed Tritonn's entire squadron, his brother, AND we got the Condor back!" Aerrow exclaimed.

Suzy-Lu was astounded. "Quite an adventure."

"Not so much for Radarr. He got swallowed up too..."

"You can tell me more on the way. Let's get goin." Suzy-Lu hopped on her Ice Grinder, ready to fly. She then turned to the rest of the Absolute Zeros. "Alright, guys! By the time you're done here, Aerrow and I will be at Terra Neon! Head on over when you can!"

When Aerrow and Suzy-Lu arrived at the Skyside Shanty, the whole place was bustling with people from all over the Atmos.

Looking around, Aerrow noticed a familiar face. "Hey, Junko!"

The Wallop in question turned from his large meal to face his old friend. "Aerrow! Now this is a pleasant surprise."

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu took a seat across from him. "What have you been up to, Junko?" The Blizzarian wondered.

"I've been studying all sorts of vehicle schematics. I may have been a flight engineer in the Storm Hawks, but I wanna make more of a living out of it, so I applied for a job at a workshop in Terra Atmosia. They say they'll let me work when I become 16 years old, almost half a year from now." Junko explained, pouring a bit of that extra-potent quadruple-malt vinegar on a bite of cloud krill.

Aerrow was definitely intrigued. "You're basically wanting to work on all sorts of vehicles from all across the Atmos?"

"You bet. Want some cloud krill?" Junko offered, passing them two empty plates on which to place their fills. "So, what's the story here, Aerrow? You pair up with Suzy-Lu since it didn't work out with Piper or something?"

"Pair up? No, I was only invited to join the Absolute Zeros." Aerrow explained, showing him the invite card.

"Just like how Finn was invited by Starling to join the Interceptors." Junko theorized.

Downing the bite she had in her mouth, Suzy-Lu protested against Junko's questioning. "Me and Aerrow? Don't be ridiculous, Junko."

Junko suddenly got a mischievous look in his eyes. "Aerrow, what do you like about Suzy-Lu?"

As Suzy-Lu glared at Junko, Aerrow took some time to think. "Well, she puts the well-being of the other Blizzarians before her own, which is one thing I admire." Without warning, Suzy-Lu was drawn to Aerrow's words. "She's a very selfless person, something I can relate to. She's deeply caring and thoughtful. All in all, Suzy-Lu is a good person at heart, and she wants to do what's best for everyone else. I'd say she's a lot like us, striving to do the right thing."

"You make it sound like she's the girl of your dreams, Aerrow." Junko pointed out.

Before he could say another word to the Wallop, Aerrow heard a sniffle. He turned to Suzy-Lu, who had tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "Is that what you think of me...?"

Aerrow was concerned about her. "Suzy-Lu, is... is something wrong?"

Suzy-Lu wiped a tear off her face. "No... I'm OK... I just..." She seemed... happy. "What you said about me..."

"Welp. I should get going." Junko got out of his seat. "Oh, and don't worry about the bill. I already paid." With that, he headed out of the building.

Suzy-Lu pulled Aerrow into a warm embrace, causing him to feel awkward. "Um... In public? It's... kind of embarrassing."

Now feeling awkward herself, Suzy-Lu broke away from the hug she was giving. "I guess I shouldn't have done that here."

"Yeah. That was... unlike you." Aerrow shrugged, grabbing another cloud krill.

Suzy-Lu reached for another cloud krill herself. "Sorry about that. Don't know what came over me."

After the meal, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu made their way back to their vehicles. "That was a surprise. Didn't know Junko would be there."

"Yeah. I didn't plan for that at all." Suzy-Lu chuckled. "Up for a little fun?"

Aerrow smirked at her. "You bet. Let's head over to Terra Neon."

"I just hope that... THING... hasn't come back." She shuddered.

Aerrow then started up his Skimmer's engine. "Let's fly."

A few hours later, the two made their way to Terra Neon, and it was packed with people. Another familiar face was seen. "Oh. Hello, Aerrow. Suzy-Lu."

"Starling?!" Aerrow exclaimed. "I've never known YOU of all people to come to Terra Neon!"

"Finn said I needed to... How did he put it? Oh yes. To 'loosen up, have some fun, maybe catch a bite'. Not doing it in that specific order. Already tried the All-you-can-eat sky dogs. Can't say I don't like the food. I guess Finn was right to tell me to come here. I definitely needed this. I was just on my way to the Bucking Bronco, then I was leaving."

"Well, we just got here." Suzy-Lu said, grabbing a map of the Terra Neon amusement park.

"It was a pleasant surprise to bump into you two here. I should come here more often." Starling then headed off to the Bucking Bronco. "I'll let Finn know I saw you two. Have fun on your date."

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu protested in unison. "It's not a date!"

Aaaaand she was gone.

"Well, that was... unexpected." Aerrow murmured.

"Yeah. Both Junko and Starling thought we were dating. It's... really weird."

Aerrow shrugged it off. "Best not let it get to us."

Their first choice was the shooting gallery, and the line was... a tad short. "Step right up! Test your aim! Nail 10 ducks before time runs out and you get a prize!"

When it was finally her turn, Suzy-Lu took the wooden crossbow and tried the game. She... didn't quite cut it.

"That makes 8 ducks. Better luck next time." Suzy-Lu started to walk away, but the showman called out to her. "Hey!" She stopped and turned her head back. "You're close. That means you're good." That made her feel better. "It's just a game."

Now it was Aerrow's turn, and he picked up the wooden crossbow. When the game began, he took his first shot. Little over a minute later, the game was over. "What's my score? I didn't keep count."

"You got 11 ducks, kid. The prize is yours." The showman handed Aerrow a large teddy bear. "You've got skill."

Aerrow caught up to Suzy-Lu, then handed her the stuffed animal. "You didn't need to do that for me, Aerrow... but I appreciate it. Thank you."

He couldn't quite explain it, but Aerrow was starting to feel... different around the Blizzarian. "Y-you're welcome."

"Let's go to the Constellation Theater next." Suzy-Lu suggested.

Aerrow seemed... uncomfortable. "I'd rather not. Last time I was there-"

"Right. I understand. Wasn't exactly the time of my life either."

As Aerrow and Suzy-Lu walked past another of the games, there was a sudden commotion. "LOOK OUT!" A bumper pod went haywire and flew out of the fenced area, hurdling uncontrollably through the air.

Aerrow pushed Suzy-Lu out of the way, saving her from the malfunctioning bumper pod.

"Junko must've left an impression on those things when Arygyn brought us here." It was then that Aerrow noticed the position both he and Suzy-Lu were in. She was on the ground, and he was on his hands and knees above her, face-to-face. "Uh..." His face started getting red.

Suzy-Lu chuckled nervously. "Care to... let me up?"

Realizing the embarrassment, Aerrow scampered to his feet, helping Suzy-Lu off the ground. "Sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me."

"Let's... not worry about that. Shouldn't let one mishap ruin the whole day, eh?" She definitely had a point.

They went to the 'Test your strength' game, seeing that there was no line. "Ladies first." Aerrow said, stepping aside.

"Aren't you the gentleman." Suzy-Lu popped her knuckles, took hold of the big mallet by the handle, and lifted it over her shoulder. "Hold my bear." Aerrow held the stuffed animal for her. She held the mallet up high and smacked it down on the button, sending the fist all the way up, hitting the bell.

Aerrow was in awe. "That was amazing!"

Putting the mallet back down, Suzy-Lu took back her bear. "Your turn."

Following her lead, Aerrow popped his own knuckles, then tried to lift the mallet. A little heavy, but not TOO heavy. He thwacked the button hard, and the next thing he knew, there was a ringing sound.

Needless to say, Suzy-Lu was impressed. "Never doubted you for a second. Should've expected as much from someone who could go toe-to-toe with the Dark Ace and come out on top."

"Thanks. That means a lot."

Next up was a roller coaster. Interestingly enough, this was the same one Arygyn made Aerrow 'train' with a long time ago. Aerrow and Suzy-Lu got on, along with a bunch of other people.

A few minutes later, the ride was over, and the next game they went to was the Bucking Bronco. Yet another familiar face was there.

"Stork!" Aerrow greeted as his former squadron's carrier pilot got off the mechanical bull.

Stork seemed... a bit calm. "Nice to see you too, Aerrow." He then saw Suzy-Lu. "Interesting seeing you here." Stork turned back to Aerrow. "I'm guessing you joined the Absolute Zeros?"

"After she invited me. No problems here." Aerrow seemed fine with it... even if he wasn't as resilient to the cold of Blizzaris as the Blizzarians were. Then again, that's why Suzy-Lu suggested for him to wear a coat, gloves, and a winter cap.

"Invited to join the Absolute Zeros, huh? Must've done something that left a real good impression." There we go again with Stork's paranoid suspicion...

"Like giving Blizzaris back to the Blizzarians?" Aerrow had a point.

Stork's suspicion... dissipated. "Oh. Right. That. Anyway, I thought I'd come back to Terra Neon, try a few rides I haven't been on before, and then end off with the one Arygyn put me on." He then pulled the rear of his pants back up a bit. "Well, that was... pleasant. You two have fun."

"Bye, Stork." Aerrow waved at the Merb as he walked away.

As it turns out, Stork had broken the Bucking Bronco, leaving it completely non-functional.

"On second thought, why don't we head back to Blizzaris?" Aerrow suggested.

"Haven't seen the others since we left for the Skyside Shanty. What could possibly be taking them so..." She trailed off as the two reached their vehicles. There were five more Ice Grinders than when they arrived. "...long?"

"They're here." Aerrow chuckled. "They've been here for a while."

While they sat down beside the old Storm Hawk Skimmer, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu had a chat. "Why did you try and get together with Piper when the Storm Hawks disbanded?"

"I don't know what I was thinking. She said that she's already had her eyes set on someone else some time after we ended the Cyclonian empire." Aerrow said, trying to figure out a reason for his action.

"Well, as of today, I definitely have my eyes set on someone." Suzy-Lu glanced Aerrow's way. He didn't seem to notice. "You'll find out after we get you registered as an official member of the Absolute Zeros. Now that I think about it... Do you still wanna be a part of our squadron?"

Aerrow turned his head towards her. "Of course. You guys took me and Radarr in when we didn't have anywhere else to go after the Storm Hawks disbanded. And... I feel... different when it's just you and me."

"That's all I needed to hear. We'll get the registry done tomorrow."

* * *

I guess we're getting into the more... interesting stuff.

See you next time, fellow Sky Knights.


	5. CH4

S15-4  
**A warm embrace**

* * *

Another calm day in Atmos, yet the Absolute Zeros had to make a trip... to Terra Atmosia. They had to make Aerrow and Radarr official members of their squadron.

"Yes. I see." The bureaucrat in charge of the Sky Knight Council looked over the registration papers. "Everything appears to be in order... apart from the age. Aerrow, when you came here before to register your friends as an official squadron, you were... two years too young."

"What about now?" Aerrow wondered.

The bureaucrat looked over a different set of papers. "Well... It says here that you had your 15th birthday during your time as leader of the unofficial Storm Hawks squadron. It also says your 16th birthday is coming up, so you should be viable at that point." He then turned to the squad leader. "Suzy-Lu, Sky Knight of Blizzaris and leader of the Absolute Zeros, I understand you invited Aerrow to join your squadron some time after his own disbanded. A helping hand is always a good thing to lend to others. I also understand why you waited this long to register him. You needed to be sure he truly wanted to be an official member." Readjusting his glasses, the bureaucrat turned back to Aerrow. "I'll stamp the registry form soon. Just wait a little while longer."

With the registry now postponed until further notice, the Absolute Zeros headed back to their Ice Grinders and Skimmer. "Fifteen years?" Suzy-Lu asked.

"Yeah. A little young, I kno-"

Suzy-Lu interrupted him. "Was it at the time of the Aurora Stone incident?" Aerrow nodded. "Been a Sky Knight for only a year and a half when you tried to register... When's your birthday?"

"Little over a week from now. Why do you ask?"

She smirked at him. "Ohh, no reason."

Eight days later, Aerrow woke up to a whispered commotion from downstairs.

Heading down to the living room, Aerrow was caught off guard when the lights suddenly came on and a group of people came out of hiding. "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AERROW!"

Aerrow looked through the people that were there for his birthday. Starling, Finn, Piper, Junko, Arygyn, the entirety of the Absolute Zeros, and the bureaucrat in charge of the Sky Knight Council were all there.

The presents were given and unwrapped.

Finn gave him a new music record. "Starling and I made this one."

"I didn't know Starling had musical interests." Aerrow was... intrigued.

Starling shrugged at him. "What can I say? It was the first time I tried. Didn't know I had such talent."

Arygyn and Piper's present to Aerrow was... a little souvenir from his rivalry with the Dark Ace. "It's not like he'll be using it anymore. Arygyn found it in the Wastelands. I swapped out that Firebolt Crystal for... something else." When Aerrow activated the two-handed crystal blade, it surged with a blue energy. "I put in a Blue Striker Crystal I found in the Condor after we first found it."

"In my personal opinion, it looks better in blue." Arygyn said. "And it suits you."

Junko and the Absolute Zeros led Aerrow and the others outside, where their gift was. "Why is your gift out here? And..." Aerrow then noticed something. "What's under the tarp?"

"Aerrow, the Absolute Zeros and I agreed on making you a new ride." Junko said excitedly, pulling the tarp off whatever was underneath. Junko and the Absolute Zeros made him a modified Ice Grinder!

The Sky Knight Council bureaucrat was the last to present a gift. "Everyone, come inside. It is time to present what I have."

When everyone got back in Aerrow's house, the bureaucrat headed to the dining room table and laid down a paper. "Isn't that my registry form into Suzy-Lu's squadron?"

"That's right, Aerrow. As you are now of age to become an official member of the Absolute Zeros, it shall be so." The bureaucrat stamped the paper, making Aerrow's admission into the Absolute Zeros official. "Now that the presents have been given, might I suggest we move on to the cake?"

There was a large birthday cake in the kitchen, and it had the flavor of cotton candy. After Aerrow made his wish, and everyone had their share of the cake, it was time for the guests to depart.

Once the party was over, Aerrow noticed that he and Radarr... weren't alone. It was Suzy-Lu. "There's... somethin I wanna say."

"Well, let's hear it."

Suzy-Lu bit her bottom lip, as if she was nervous about something. "I... I-I-I... l-like... you."

Aerrow was confused at her stuttering. "I like you too, but... is something wrong?"

While the two Sky Knights were distracted with each other, Radarr, having figured out what Suzy-Lu meant, put their hands together.

"Radarr, what're you doing?" Aerrow wondered. "Yeah, she's my friend and all, but-"

Suzy-Lu spoke up. "Actually..." Aerrow turned his attention to the Blizzarian Sky Knight. "I feel like... we're more than that."

"What do you mean?"

She had a hard time finding the words, but eventually spoke her mind. "You gave us back our Terra. You saved us when the Cyclonians had those souped-up crystals. All those things you said about me at the Skyside Shanty-"

Aerrow decided to interject. "What I said about you was what I believed to be true. Although Blizzarians know how to have a good time, I feel you're the best among them."

For the longest time, they stared deeply into each other's eyes... until Suzy-Lu spoke once more. "Aerrow... I love you."

Aerrow's eyes widened. He didn't know what to say... until he recalled the unexpected hug in the Skyside Shanty, how he felt underneath the awkwardness. The things he said about her were from the heart. How he felt following the moment with that malfunctioning bumper pod also came to mind. He saved her from a runaway machine. In neither time was it with Suzy-Lu's entire squadron. It was just those two. That feeling in his gut... that feeling in his heart... was burning its brightest at this moment.

He calmed, seeing the Blizzarian in a whole new light. Aerrow now knew what he had been feeling. "I... feel the same way." Both Sky Knights smiled at each other, absentmindedly leaning closer to one another.

Just then, Arygyn popped out of nowhere. "Ahh... Young love. Such a heartwarming spectacle." Aerrow and Suzy-Lu turned to him in annoyance. Without warning, Radarr chomped on his rear. "AAAHH! OW OW OW OW OW OW!" Arygyn ran out the door, leaving the two Sky Knights alone.

And so, despite being different species, the two had found their soulmates.

* * *

There are quite a few things that go in between episodes. We just don't know what they are. As such, I put Aerrow's 15th birthday pretty early in the second season.

See you next time, Sky Knights.


	6. CH5

S15-5  
**Frost race**

* * *

It's been a few months since Aerrow's birthday, and his status as a member of the Absolute Zeros was made official, so the former Storm Hawks leader has been partaking in many Blizzarian activities... except the Pie Eating Contest, as only a Blizzarian had teeth that strong... and could eat the frozen pies without getting a brain freeze.

Today, Aerrow was readying up for a race, yet Radarr was in the audience.

Suzy-Lu revved up her Ice Grinder's engines, obviously getting ready to participate, until Aerrow checked up on her. "Don't you know this is a tag team race? Two racers on one vehicle." This event was a team race, so the contestants would come in teams of two.

The Blizzarian Sky Knight laughed in embarrassment. "I guess I missed that. Thanks for the reminder."

"No worries." Aerrow said, tossing a stick of gum in his mouth. "Happens to the best of us."

Leaving her Ice Grinder, Suzy-Lu climbed into the copilot seat behind Aerrow on his own ride. "Hard to believe you're actually OK with all this."

Aerrow looked back at her. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. You're a member of a squadron that was once composed of only Blizzarians. You live on Blizzaris. And to top it off, you're in a relationship with a Blizzarian." Suzy-Lu didn't quite understand how Aerrow was taking it so well.

Before he could open his mouth to speak again, the voice of another Blizzarian rang from a megaphone. "Alright! All racers ready?"

Aerrow looked at the other contestants. Seven other Ice Grinders were lined up at the starting line, each with two Blizzarians, and among them were some of the other Absolute Zeros.

Everyone was ready to race. "Then let's get it on! 3!" Aerrow felt his adrenaline pumping. "2!" Suzy-Lu blew another bubble as she took hold of the copilot controls. "1!" The two nodded at each other, ready to race. "GO!" The Ice Grinders sped off, immediately competing for 1st place.

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were already in 3rd, yet another Ice Grinder slammed into them. Seeing an opportunity, Suzy-Lu tossed a Velocity Crystal into the opposing vehicle before either of the Blizzarians driving could react. The Ice Grinder ramming Aerrow and Suzy-Lu into an ice wall boosted off, quickly losing control and crashing.

"How did you know to do that?" Aerrow was impressed.

Suzy-Lu simply smirked. "Never use a Velocity Crystal when there's a sharp turn just ahead. Can't turn fast enough."

The front end of the crashed Ice Grinder was buried in the snow. Also buried in the snow wall was the upper half of one of the Blizzarians that drove the crashed vehicle, his legs flailing about.

Making the turn, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were coming up on a large gap in the track. "Suzy-Lu, you've got this one, right?"

"No sweat." Suzy-Lu pulled up a handle, causing the Ice Grinder to convert into its aerial mode. They flew across the gap, yet so did the other teams.

Now across the gap, the Ice Grinders reverted to their land modes.

Interestingly enough, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were still in 3rd place, but they were gaining on 2nd. Without warning, a snowball hit Aerrow's windshield, momentarily obstructing his vision. Suzy-Lu seemed to notice immediately. "Aerrow, turn left!"

Taking her advice, Aerrow veered off to the left, making the turn, and causing the snow on the windshield to get blown off to the side. "Thanks!"

Suzy-Lu saw some of the other racers swapping out with their partners. "Ready to switch out?"

As Aerrow jumped out of his seat, Suzy-Lu climbed down into it, switching places with him.

Things were going well for the first lap, and team 7 went down, bumped by the team in 1st place into another wall of snow. This left Aerrow and Suzy-Lu in 2nd. Team 4, now in 3rd place, was close behind them, and one of the two Blizzarians was Billy-Rex.

Team 6, the ones in 1st place, tossed a snowball behind, but Suzy-Lu caught it, tossing the cold sphere over to Aerrow, who threw it at team 4, nailing the face of Billy-Rex's partner, who was driving the vehicle. They blindly drove off the track, getting their Ice Grinder stuck in a snow mound.

The race track continued on through another cave, with supports made of hardened ice. Every remaining racer got through OK. "Figured you'd have wanted to show me around there at some point." Aerrow stated, climbing back into the driver's seat.

"Actually, yes. It's one of my favorite places." Suzy-Lu said. "Well. On Blizzaris."

"After this race, we could... I don't know... take a stroll around Atmosia, have some fun on Tropica, maybe even pull a prank on Stork. All I'm saying is-" Aerrow didn't get to finish his sentence as another Ice Grinder sped past them, obviously under the effects of a Velocity Crystal. It drove too fast up the ramp, and ended up crashing into the snow above the next cave entrance. "Maybe we should just focus on the race for now." Suzy-Lu nodded in agreement.

Once Aerrow and Suzy-Lu reached the exit to the ice cave, they came across the finish line, completing their first lap.

Back into the first ice cave they went, and that deformity in the wall of the sharp turn from Suzy-Lu's 'Velocity Crystal toss' back in the first lap was empty. Team 2 was back in the race.

"I think we might just make this." Aerrow was right. They were still in 2nd place, and team 6 wasn't far ahead.

Once the two teams made it out of the cave, they shifted their Ice Grinders to sky form, flying over the gap, and on the floor of the second ice cave... was a Velocity Crystal. Suzy-Lu hung from the side of Aerrow's Ice Grinder, grabbing the cyan stone as they drove by. "You thinkin what I'm thinkin?"

Aerrow saw the Velocity Crystal in his partner's hand. "I can take a guess." He then lined up his Ice Grinder with team 6, getting their attention. "You guys like to go fast, right?" The Blizzarians in the ride next to his own nodded. "Maybe we can help you with that." Taking the hint, Suzy-Lu tossed the Velocity Crystal into the opposing Ice Grinder, making it speed up and drive out of control, ending up with a repeat of what happened to team 8. Straight into the snow above the second cave entrance. Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were now in 1st place!

For the rest of lap 2, the other racers were a good distance behind them. "I don't really understand how the strategy worked out." Aerrow began. "Others go faster than us, but we still end up in 1st place. How?"

Suzy-Lu chuckled. "It's actually quite simple. This race track is based on speed and maneuverability. If you have too much speed, you lose maneuverability, which means you lose control." Makes sense. The race track isn't exactly an open field. Not a lot of space for big speed boosts.

By the time any of the racers actually started to catch up, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu had crossed the finish line and completed the final lap.

At the award ceremony, all the racer teams were gathered in a line, but the duos who got 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place stood up front. The Blizzarian overseeing the race stepped up on stage, holding six medals. "In 3rd place, we have Jenna-Luvly and Vera-Del!" The two were given bronze medals. Suzy-Lu seemed proud. After all, Jenna-Luvly was a member of her squadron. "In 2nd place, we have Donna-Kiat and Billy-Rex!" Team 4 was given silver medals. "And in 1st place, the winners of the tag team race, Suzy-Lu and Aerrow!" The two were given gold medallions as the crowd cheered.

"We won! I can't believe it. We actually won!" Much to Suzy-Lu's surprise, Aerrow hugged her. "A-Aerrow?! What're you-..." Her surprise faded away, and in its place was a warm happiness. Lightly chuckling, Suzy-Lu returned the hug.

That night, Aerrow, Suzy-Lu, and the rest of the Absolute Zeros were sitting on a blanket near a cliff overlooking the rest of the Terra, enjoying some frozen yogurt, though Aerrow wasn't. Radarr was there too, but he was asleep.

"And get this! As it turns out, this 'rozen yoga' the Colonel requested was actually frozen yogurt!" Aerrow was retelling some old adventures he had with the Storm Hawks squadron he once led. "Had to cut through Cyclonian territory because Finn dumped the fridge into a phoenix nest. In the end, Repton and the Raptors caught up to us at the Colonel's compound. I have never seen Repton look so frightened when the Colonel showed up!"

The entire squadron laughed at the thought of Repton, the most ruthless of the Raptors, being scared by the mere sight of the Colonel. "I'll bet that was an unforgettable experience." Billy-Rex remarked. Everyone laughed, then took a moment to gaze at the night sky.

Jenna-Luvly interjected. "How did Repton get involved again?"

"We were restocking our supplies near a diner, and from what Piper told me, the Raptors were there, and Finn managed to snag a Velocity Crystal from them as we left."

Billy-Rex couldn't help but laugh. "Snagged a crystal from the Raptors? Finn would fit right in with us." He paused for a moment, rethinking his words. "Well, you fit in too, Aerrow. Never forget that."

Aerrow looked at Suzy-Lu, and he knew what to say, but he felt an oddly nauseating sense of nervousness. "Suzy-Lu, I..." The Blizzarian Sky Knight looked his way. "I just... wanted to say that... I-I-I... I... wouldn't be here without you, and I... wanted to thank you... for this."

"Now what brought all this up, eh?" Suzy-Lu asked curiously, almost teasing.

He took a deep breath. "I always thought Blizzarians were kind to others, and I'm glad to know the answer to that childhood question. Even in a cold place like Blizzaris, you can often find the warmest of hearts." His hand ended up on top of her own. "Out of the other Blizzarians I've met here, you have the warmest heart."

Before Suzy-Lu could respond, Aerrow leaned on her shoulder.

Bobby-Bones spoke up with a chuckle. "I guess you two need some alone time." The other Absolute Zeros nodded in agreement, then got up and left Aerrow and Suzy-Lu alone with each other.

* * *

I don't have anything to put in the Author's Notes at the end of this chapter, so I'll just leave it at that. See you guys next time.


	7. CH6

S15-6  
**Interspecies relations**

* * *

Another calm day in Atmos, and here on Terra Blizzaris, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were having their fun, and Radarr seemed quite content with just watching them play around... until he got nailed in the face by a snowball. Before they even knew what was going on, Radarr was raining down a snowball maelstrom upon the Absolute Zeros. Everyone got a few good laughs out of that game.

When all was said and done, the Absolute Zeros decided to head on with their normal day. "Yo, Suzy-Lu. You and Aerrow headin out to Terra Neon again?" Billy-Rex wondered.

"Mmm... Nah. Think it'd be better to have a bite." Suzy-Lu was planning on lunch. "Hey, Aerrow! You hungry?"

Aerrow turned to his Blizzarian girlfriend. "Getting there. What'd you have in mind?"

"Nothin much. Just one of those pies we have in our contests, but not frozen. Figured you'd like to know what it tastes like." Suzy-Lu explained.

Aerrow's eyes seemed to sparkle a bit, and his grin never faded. "Sounds good. What about you? Aren't you getting something?" His concern for others knew no bounds.

"I'll be fine. You're not the only one eating."

Of course, Suzy-Lu followed Aerrow back to his place, and she knew how to make those pies. In a matter of minutes, two steaming pies were laid down on the dining room table.

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu cut into their food with forks and knives, enjoying the taste. Eventually, the meals were done. "The people who make the pies for the contest do them better than I do."

Aerrow couldn't believe his ears. "Suzy-Lu, you made a real good pie. If I were a judge, I'd say you did it better, and quite rightly... even though I never had a frozen one. Junko did, but I never thought to ask him how it tastes."

"Yeah... Poor Wallop got himself a brain freeze tryin to eat just one." Suzy-Lu then got up and grabbed Aerrow's empty plate. "I never tried 'em hot. Anyway, I don't suppose you'd be willin to hang out with me later."

"Always."

Later that day, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were sitting atop the same snowy hill they always do, watching Radarr play in the snow.

In the silence, Aerrow decided to 'break the ice'. "How do your mom and dad feel about us being together?" He could see Suzy-Lu's mood drop. Aerrow probably should've kept his mouth shut.

"I haven't seen my parents since Cyclonia took over Blizzaris..." Suzy-Lu was starting to tear up. "I miss them..."

Aerrow put a hand on her shoulder, then wiped a tear off her face. "My parents are gone too... I've been living on Terra Neverlandis with Finn, Piper, and Radarr until we formed the new Storm Hawks."

"My mother was the Sky Knight of Blizzaris before me. When I was ready, she had me go through the Sky Knight trials before passing down the title. And... I'm sure they would've liked you." Suzy-Lu said, grasping Aerrow's comforting hand in her own.

Aerrow kissed her on the cheek, to which she giggled. "The Absolute Zeros are lucky to have you lead them. Now... I don't really know what happened to my mother, but what I do know is that my father was a part of the original Storm Hawks."

Suzy-Lu leaned on Aerrow's shoulder. "I'm sure they'd be proud of what you've accomplished. The end of the Cyclonian empire. You've ensured everlastin peace across the Atmos!"

"And I'm sure your mom and dad would be proud of you too."

In a moment of peaceful bliss, their lips met for the first time. An exhilarating yet tranquil sensation rippled through the couple, and in their hearts, it felt... right.

After what seemed like forever, a startling sound was heard with a flash. When Aerrow and Suzy-Lu opened their eyes, they saw Billy-Rex holding a camera. "I can't wait to share this with the others."

He started to run, but Radarr pounced on the unfortunate Blizzarian, taking away his camera and tossing both it and the photo over to the couple.

"Hm. Y'know, I actually like this shot." Suzy-Lu admitted, cracking a smile. "This could go in my photo journal."

Aerrow put a hand up, signaling for Radarr to... STOP BITING THE POOR BLIZZARIAN'S POSTERIOR! "You should know better than that, Billy-Rex. You're lucky Suzy-Lu wants to keep the photo."

"I'm sorry! Really!" Billy-Rex started scooting away. "I'll never intrude on your make-out session again!"

At this, both Aerrow and Suzy-Lu's faces turned red.

Once Billy-Rex was out of sight, they turned to each other. "That was... embarrassing."

"Not sure what he was thinkin." Suzy-Lu seemed more mad than flustered. "But I'll have a stern talk with Billy-Rex about our privacy."

* * *

Well, Billy-Rex is about to experience Suzy-Lu's not-so-pleasant side. Don't wanna be around for that.

See you all next time.


	8. CH7

S15-7  
**An awkward moment**

* * *

Aerrow and the rest of the Absolute Zeros just finished a series of games, and boy were they fun. Of course, after their second-last game, Aerrow decided to head home, and Suzy-Lu decided to pay him a visit after the final activity.

When the Blizzarian Sky Knight got to her boyfriend's house, she headed inside, seeing no sign of him in the living room.

She looked around, finding Aerrow's old Storm Hawk uniform in his bedroom. "Hmm... I wonder..." Taking off her own outfit, Suzy-Lu put on the uniform. The arms went in with no problems. Her head popped out A-OK. Her legs though... Those pants weren't really made for Blizzarian digigrade legs, but she made it work... somewhat. "Not bad. Not bad at all." Suzy-Lu actually liked the way it looked on her in the mirror.

Taking Aerrow's old weapons, Suzy-Lu mimicked his battle stance. "It's over, Cyclonis." She said, imitating Aerrow's voice and tone, and laughing shortly after.

Just then, Aerrow came in, with only a towel on him. "Radarr, did you hide my..." He trailed off, seeing Suzy-Lu wearing his old outfit. "Oh." The Blizzarian Sky Knight's face visibly heated up as Aerrow barely fought back the urge to laugh. "Can I have that back?"

"Oh! S-s-sure thing! J-just... C-c-c-can you w-wait in the... in-in the bathr-r-r-room?" Suzy-Lu stuttered, her face going red.

Once Aerrow headed back into the bathroom and closed the door, Suzy-Lu hurriedly changed back into her own outfit, then knocked on the door, still very much flustered from the awkward and admittedly embarrassing moment. Unable to take the embarrassment any longer, Suzy-Lu decided it best to leave.

Later that day, as Suzy-Lu sat under a tree in the middle of Terra Atmosia, she saw a man and a child walk by. "Look, dad! A Sky Knight!" The father looked at where his son was pointing, only to see Suzy-Lu, who waved at them.

"Huh. The Sky Knight of Terra Blizzaris. I suppose even Blizzarians need to sit back and relax at some point." The child's father said, waving back at her. "Come along now, son. It's getting late."

Alone once more, Suzy-Lu took this time to recollect her thoughts, mentally questioning her odd action today. Why did she try on his Storm Hawk uniform? Her assumption was that love must make you do weird and crazy things you wouldn't normally do.

After what felt like hours, Suzy-Lu felt she was being watched. She looked up, and there stood Aerrow. Still feeling ashamed, Suzy-Lu looked away... but Aerrow sat down next to her. "Hey..." Suzy-Lu stayed silent. "Look. I'm not mad at you. I know you're ashamed of yourself, but..." He put a hand on her shoulder. Suzy-Lu hesitantly turned her head, and Aerrow saw it in her eyes. She felt lowly about herself about the awkward moment. "It's OK. Seeing you in my old Storm Hawk outfit gave me a good laugh. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You probably didn't even know I was in the shower, did you?"

She shook her head. "No. No, I didn't. I'm sor-"

"You don't need to apologize. I said I'm not mad at you." Aerrow pulled Suzy-Lu into a comforting embrace.

Although she didn't need to apologize, Suzy-Lu had a question to ask. "How... How did you know I was here?"

"I guess I just... felt it. I didn't really know you were here." Aerrow paused for a moment to reconsider his words. "I saw your Ice Grinder parked on the hill."

Suzy-Lu just didn't even care anymore. She just wanted to be with him.

Breaking the hug, the two looked deeply into each other's eyes, and the next thing they knew, the space between their lips had closed.

Out of nowhere, there was a familiar voice. "Oh my... Aerrow? Suzy-Lu? Uh... I'm dreadfully sorry to, uh... I... didn't know you two were, uh... ~clears throat~" It was the bureaucrat in charge of the Sky Knight Council. "Well. I didn't expect to see this. Is... this what you both want?" Breaking apart, the two nodded at the bureaucrat. "I suppose... it is official. But... you may want to wait a while longer before taking the next step. I will let you know when it's time." With that, the bureaucrat turned and walked away, not wanting to witness such a private moment.

One more quick kiss and Aerrow had only three words that felt right to say. "I love you."

Tears formed in the corners of Suzy-Lu's eyes, yet she wore a happy grin on her face. "I love you too."

* * *

My guess? Suzy-Lu likely wanted to be a Storm Hawk when she was just a kid.

Oh, and on a side note: I forgot to mention that plavoko12's own story inspired me into doing this pairing. Aerrow and Piper? That pairing is WAAAY overused. It's practically become a cliché.

Oh well. See you next time, guys.


	9. CH8

S15-8  
**Two dating Sky Knights**

* * *

It's been a few years since what Aerrow and Suzy-Lu are calling their 'Awkward day', and on this fine day, the two have made the decision to go to Terra Neon.

First up was the Bucking Bronco, and by the looks of it, Starling was there. "Hey, you two. Just hanging out like last time?"

"Nope. This time, it's a date." Aerrow said. "What're you doing here this time?"

Starling was delightfully surprised, but responded nonetheless. "After I finally dealt with Finn's admittedly overinflated ego, he worked up the nerve to ask me out on a date. Caught me by surprise. Although... I suppose it would be nice to start a relationship... especially after seeing the poem he's been writing about me."

"Finn's writin a poem about you, eh? What did he say?" Suzy-Lu wondered.

Starling chuckled, a blush showing across her face. "Losing his ego was a real wake up call for him. He saw me as this beautiful, courageous, strong-willed woman who could more than take care of herself. Can't say he's wrong."

"Anything else we should know? Any other changes?" Aerrow asked.

"Finn's become this serious marksman who doesn't waste time. Although, being the Domo of Terra Vapos isn't something I could've expected. Doesn't mean I won't help him whenever they call. No poems though. I already talked to Stork about it. Dreadful and utterly humiliating." Starling shuddered at the thought of having to write ridiculous poems every single time Finn is called to Terra Vapos.

Suzy-Lu looked around, seeing no sign of him. "Where is Finn anyway?"

As if on cue, Finn appeared, holding two cones of cotton candy. "Here you go. The line was crazy long..." He handed one cone to Starling, then saw his friend and former squad leader. "Aerrow! Haven't seen you since your 16th birthday!"

"Good to see you too, Finn. How have you been lately?" Aerrow asked, shaking Finn's free hand.

"Better than ever. I seriously feel bad for everything I put you guys through." Finn then turned away, talking to himself. "Why did I ever think I was so great...?"

Starling gave Finn a pat on the back. "He's going through a bit of... realization. I may have been a bit harsh on Finn, but in the end, I got through to him."

Suzy-Lu nudged Aerrow's shoulder. "I think we should actually start our date."

Starling interjected. "I wouldn't go on the Bucking Bronco if I were you. I heard Stork broke it. Again."

Aerrow facepalmed, not knowing what else to expect. "Of course..."

Once the two couples parted ways, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu got on a roller coaster, and they were enjoying the ride. After a while, it stopped right back where it started. "What do you wanna do next, Aerrow?"

"I'm thinking... the Ferris wheel." The same structure that was destroyed by the Dark Ace a while back, but was rebuilt some time after.

On the way to the Ferris wheel, their stomachs began to grumble. A sky dog for each of them would hold them up for a while, but dinner was no less important.

Once the couple was in the last pod, the ferris wheel started to spin. This gave them more time to talk. "What do you think of it? Our relationship?"

"Never really thought about it." Suzy-Lu took some time to think. "It... brought a new warmth into my life. This is the first time I've ever fallen in love with someone. I guess I should count myself lucky it was you, Aerrow."

Aerrow leaned in closer to his Blizzarian girlfriend, and in turn, she leaned in closer to her boyfriend. They smiled at each other, content with the way things have been looking up for them, and looking forward to their future together.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" Aerrow asked with a smirk.

Suzy-Lu blushed and giggled. "Oh, stop it, you charmer. You don't look half bad yourself."

Aerrow turned to look out the window. From the top of the Ferris wheel, he could see the entire Terra. "Hard to believe Atmos is safe. Harder to believe that I survived through it all. Harder still that I get to share it with someone special."

Suzy-Lu felt flattered. "You think I'm special?"

Aerrow turned back to her and gently pulled her into a kiss. "You're much more than just a fellow Sky Knight. The Absolute Zeros are lucky to have you as their leader, and Terra Blizzaris is lucky to have you as its Sky Knight. Your family would undoubtedly be proud of you."

At his words, Suzy-Lu began to cry, but she was... happy. "And... what am I... to you?"

Aerrow leaned further, whispering into his girlfriend's ear. "Someone I would gladly spend the rest of my life with. Blizzarian? Human? Aquanosian? I don't care what you are on the outside. It's who you really are on the inside that matters."

She felt so happy when Aerrow said that, but before the Blizzarian Sky Knight could even think up a response, the Ferris wheel came to a stop. Getting out of the pod, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu decided to go to a nice diner.

Once the couple landed, Aerrow immediately recognized the place. "I've been here before. The Condor got blown up, and we came under attack by the Cyclonians."

"I wish we were there... Would've enjoyed kickin their rears."

They entered the diner, and there was a familiar face. "Harrier?" Aerrow was surprised. The leader of the Rex Guardians was sitting in a common diner, and with no sign of his squadron anywhere.

"Oh! Aerrow? Didn't know you were here."

Aerrow shrugged, pointing over his shoulder to the door. "We just got here."

"'We'?" Harrier looked around. "What of the rest of the Storm Hawks?" Apparently, he didn't hear the news.

"The Storm Hawks disbanded after we put an end to the Cyclonian empire, a few years ago. I'm just here on a date." Aerrow said, his hand intertwining with Suzy-Lu's.

Harrier saw what he meant. "On a date? With a Blizzarian?" The two nodded at him. "Huh. From what I've heard, interspecies relations are... tricky. But they're nothing new. I've seen it at times. Even so, this is the first time I've seen a human and a Blizzarian in such a relationship." Harrier turned back to the table just as his order was served. "I never knew the Storm Hawks disbanded. Always thought you'd stay together. But I guess there was no reason to, what with Cyclonia gone for good. Atmos is at peace, everyone is safe, and the Storm Hawks... aren't needed anymore." He picked up a sky dog off his plate, but didn't take a bite yet. "But... uh... good luck on your date. I hope you two have a good time."

"Thanks, Harrier. By the way, why are you of all people havin sky dogs at a common diner?" Suzy-Lu was wondering about that.

The Sky Knight of Terra Rex chewed up and finished the first bite before speaking. "Thought I'd try something... different. Might treat the rest of the Rex Guardians to a... to a... What was that activity called again...?"

"A barbeque?" Aerrow questioned, wondering if that was the word Harrier was looking for.

"Yes. A barbeque. There's an empty field somewhere on the other side of Terra Rex that would be the perfect place, with a majestic view of the forest. Now that I think about it, the butlers are invited to feast as well."

Leaving Harrier to his meal, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu sat down at another table. A Wallop working as a waiter approached them. "Anything I can do for you two?" The couple looked through their menus, choosing what they want.

"Ladies first." Aerrow said, putting his menu down.

Suzy-Lu chuckled at his gentlemanly decision. "I'll have a grilled steak burger and a side of sky poppers."

Aerrow handed his menu to the waiter. "Same here please."

"And your drinks?"

The two nodded to each other, then ordered in unison. "Fruity smoothies."

"Coming right up." The waiter turned and left.

While they waited for their meal, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu had more time to talk. "Not the first time I was here either. The Storm Hawks got framed for a crime they didn't commit, and I... fell for it. I should've known better..."

"It wasn't your fault. We were tricked by Master Cyclonis when she disguised herself as a teen named Lark." Aerrow said, trying to reassure her.

The waiter came back, holding two colorful refreshments. "Here are your fruity smoothies. Your grilled steak burgers and sky poppers should be out in a few minutes."

Aerrow was about to say something, but he was interrupted by another familiar face. "Funny seeing you here, Aerrow."

"Stork?" Aerrow was surprised to see the carrier pilot of his disbanded squadron at the diner.

He sat down at a nearby table. "I was getting hungry, and... I'm all out of Merb cabbage."

"Well, we just got our drinks, and now we're waitin on our food." Suzy-Lu said, holding up her glass.

Stork looked at the couple for a few seconds. "Am I to understand that you two are... dating?"

"Actually, yes." Aerrow said, a sunny smile on his face.

Eventually, the waiter came out. "Alright, I got two grilled steak burgers with a side of sky poppers each. Here you go." He placed down the meals, then headed over to the table Stork was sitting at. "How may I help you?"

Aerrow took a bite out of his burger, and boy was it good. Suzy-Lu seemed to get the same reaction from the taste of her own food.

"What do you hope your future will be like?" Suzy-Lu asked in-between bites.

Aerrow took a moment to think about it. "Well, I hope the Cyclonian empire stays gone forever."

"You, me, and all the Atmos." She was right.

Aerrow had another question bouncing around in his head, one that had to do with his relationship with Suzy-Lu. "If or when you have kids, what do you hope they'll be like?" The question surprised Suzy-Lu so much that some of her drink went down the wrong pipe, making her cough.

Once she cleared up her windpipe, Suzy-Lu turned back to Aerrow to answer his question. "Geez. Give a girl some warnin... Anyway, if I had a kid, I'd want them to be kind, to have lots of friends, to never be alone. I'd want them to be brave, be curious, to visit other Terras, to always dream big, to never lose hope."

"Sounds just like the kind of kid I want." Aerrow said with a smile. "Any preference on what they'll look like?"

Suzy-Lu giggled at him. "I always thought I'd end up raisin a boy."

"I was thinking about a couple of little girls. Although, I wouldn't mind a son and daughter." Seems like Aerrow's made up his mind.

Once the two finished their meals, they returned to Blizzaris, sitting upon their usual hangout spot. "If I'm bein honest here, Aerrow... I think we make a perfect match."

"Me too." Aerrow pulled her close, enveloping the Blizzarian Sky Knight in a heartwarming embrace.

One thing's for sure: the love between these two Sky Knights is as strong as it can get.

* * *

I'm still trying to properly incorporate the Canadian accent used by Blizzarians, so I'm sorry if any of the 'eh's are out of place. No good with accents. (Then again, I shouldn't complain... since I practically don't have one of my own. Speaking 'default' here.)

Finn and Starling? That's... something else.

Anyway, I'll see you next time. I don't know how a wedding is done in Atmos, so... I'll just skip it. Sorry.


	10. CH9

S15-9  
**After the union**

* * *

It's been years since Aerrow and Suzy-Lu started their relationship, and it's been about eleven years since their marriage. Things have only been looking up, and they could not have been happier when they had children; a Blizzarian named Danny-Sky, and a human named Sierra.

Today, Aerrow brought the kids out to watch a race. As usual, Aerrow wore his Absolute Zeroes uniform to keep himself warm. Of course, he got a smaller coat for his daughter, since she was human, unlike her Blizzarian brother.

This was to be a race on a figure-8 track between three competitors, consisting of Billy-Rex, Bobby-Bones, and Suzy-Lu. Two members of the Absolute Zeros competing against each other AND their squad leader.

The race started out smoothly, with three Ice Grinders speeding down the track, and Billy-Rex was just barely in the lead with Suzy-Lu right behind him.

Suzy-Lu passed Billy-Rex, catching him by surprise while casually blowing a bubble. Lap 1 was done, and Suzy-Lu was in 1st place.

While Aerrow watched the race, he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down, seeing his son looking up at him. "Dad, why is mom racing those guys?" Danny-Sky asked.

"Well, your mother and I are part of a squadron known as the Absolute Zeros, and she's their leader." Aerrow explained. "I'll tell you more about it another time. For now, why don't we just watch the race?"

Suzy-Lu zoomed across the gap in the center of the track, landing smoothly on the other side, followed by Billy-Rex, and then Bobby-Bones.

She pumped her arm into the air, for lap 2 was hers. Suzy-Lu had moved on to the final lap.

With Billy-Rex and Bobby-Bones catching up, Suzy-Lu gave it her all, crossing the gap in the center at top speed twice, then racing to the finish line.

All three Ice Grinders skidded across the snowy road, having crossed the finish line at seemingly the same time, and with a rapidly flashing light going off as they crossed.

A voice was heard over the loudspeakers. "Hold up! We need to review the photo finish!" For about a minute or two, there was nothing but silence, until the announcer came back to the stand. "Looks like this race just went into overtime! Suzy-Lu and Billy-Rex have tied for 1st place!"

Now out of the race, Bobby-Bones drove his Ice Grinder off the race track, leaving only two competitors for the overtime lap.

Suzy-Lu and Billy-Rex realigned their Ice Grinders with the starting line, ready for the tiebreaker. "On your marks!" They revved up their engines. "Get set!" Suzy-Lu saw Aerrow, Radarr, and the kids in the audience, smiled at them, then turned her attention back to the race. "GO!" Aaand they're off.

Two large turns to the left and they were at the gap in the center of the track. After crossing that, there was a level turn, followed by a turn that elevated them up. The chasm of freezing water was jumped once more, and the two racers were driving back down, very close to the finish line.

Right as the two competitors neared the end of the race, Suzy-Lu pushed her Ice Grinder to the limit, going as fast as it could. She pulled past Billy-Rex, winning the tiebreaker. "And there you have it, folks! Suzy-Lu wins the race!" There was a long round of applause as she waved to the audience.

After all that was over, Suzy-Lu and the rest of her family went back home, where it was once just Aerrow and Radarr living.

"Congrats on the big win!" Aerrow exclaimed, pulling Suzy-Lu into a warm hug.

She chuckled. "You know I'm gonna win whenever I enter the race. Ice Grinders can take a real good amount of the strain in cold places."

Aerrow let her out of the embrace. "I have an idea. Why don't we cook up a congratulatory feast?"

"You don't need to do that. But I could go for dinner." Suzy-Lu said, her stomach growling. "A good race works up an appetite."

While Suzy-Lu sat down and relaxed, Aerrow looked around the kitchen for anything good to eat. And during that time, Sierra played with Radarr while Danny-Sky sat next to his mother. "Mom? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, you little cutie." Suzy-Lu playfully ruffled her son's head, causing him to giggle. "What's on your mind?"

"What's a squadron?" This got Aerrow's attention as well.

Suzy-Lu tried her best to explain it in a way her son would understand. "Well, a normal squadron is a group of people from a Terra that takes up a duty to protect their home. There is... was... one exception."

Aerrow came out to explain further. "Your mother is the leader of the squadron protecting Terra Blizzaris, known as the Absolute Zeros. I was once the leader of my own squadron, but... we didn't really have a purpose after we ended a... a conflict. My squadron was legendary, bearing the name 'Storm Hawks'. After we ended a conflict I call 'the Cyclonian Calamity', my squadron disbanded, and everyone went their separate ways."

"Wow...!" Danny-Sky was amazed. "So... then you joined the Absolute Zeros?"

"After the Storm Hawks disbanded, Radarr and I went back to Terra Neverlandis. Of course, we'd been living alone there for a while... until this was left on my doorstep." Aerrow held up the old card. For the life of her, Suzy-Lu couldn't figure out why her husband still kept that. "I was invited to join the Absolute Zeros by none other than their leader, the Sky Knight of Terra Blizzaris, Suzy-Lu, your mother."

Suzy-Lu spoke up. "Aerrow, I think dinner's ready."

He decided to see about that. Aerrow ran over to the oven, seeing that the meal he was making was done.

"Dinner... is served." Aerrow announced, passing out plates of barbecue ribs and smoked cloud krill.

Suzy-Lu chuckled at the meal. "Where'd you get the cloud krill? The Skyside Shanty?"

"Nope. Caught them myself." Aerrow shrugged as he sat down. "You hang out with Tritonn and the Neck Deeps, you pick up a few things. That was before I received the invite to the Absolute Zeros."

"I figured." Suddenly, Suzy-Lu's ears perked up. "I think we have visitors."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Aerrow opened it, and there were two familiar people outside. "Piper? Harrier?" Aerrow was surprised.

"Sweety, who's out there?" Suzy-Lu called, coming to the door.

"Hey, Aerrow. Hey, Suzy-Lu. I wanted to see how two of my best friends were doing."

Suzy-Lu stepped aside, with Aerrow doing the same. "Well come right on in. We were just having dinner."

Piper and Harrier stepped inside, taking notice of the children. Piper smiled. "Looks like you've had a bit of a handful."

"Heh. Yeah. Meet Danny-Sky and Sierra. Kids, c'mon over." The two got out of their chairs and cautiously approached the two newcomers.

Harrier chuckled. "Hm. I've never seen a Blizzarian child. Although, now that I have, they are quite adorable." He ruffled Danny-Sky's hair, making the youngling giggle. "Then again, that applies to children in general." Harrier then ruffled Sierra's hair a bit. She laughed.

"Piper was a member of my former squadron; the Storm Hawks. She was the specialist. Her role was navigation and tactics. Harrier is the Sky Knight of Terra Rex, and the leader of the Rex Guardians." It was then that Aerrow saw the gold pieces on Piper's outfit. "Hey, Piper?" She turned to him. "Did Harrier send you an invite to join his squadron?"

"Yeah. He did. I really got to know them all. They found my skills... indispensable! And my prowess in battle? I bested every single one of the Rex Guardians in hand-to-hand combat... single-handedly!" Piper did WHAT?!

Suzy-Lu was genuinely surprised. "Whoa! If anything, YOU should be the Sky Knight of Terra Rex."

"Nah. That position belongs to Harrier. I don't wanna take it from him."

Harrier spoke up. "Well... Piper isn't even a Sky Knight. But... I'd be willing to let her lead if she chooses. It's already been proven that Piper is a force to be reckoned with. And she was the talented strategist of the Storm Hawks, so the Rex Guardians are lucky she accepted the invite. Furthermore, her knowledge of crystals could only be rivaled by that of Master Cyclonis." He paused for a bit. "Of course, she is not just a member of the Rex Guardians. She has completely retrofitted the entire squadron armory. She suggested we take our vehicles to Junko's workshop on Atmosia, and our rides were upgraded. I have given her the same role she had in the Storm Hawks squadron: navigation and tactics. But... Piper may just be a better leader than I am."

* * *

The offspring of Aerrow and Suzy-Lu. Danny-Sky and Sierra. Reminds me of S11, what with the main couple's offspring simply being either swapped species or swapped genders (I don't know which) of their parents.

Well, see you next time, I guess.


	11. CH10

S15-10  
**Guests of honor**

* * *

There was a sudden clatter in the bedroom, awakening the two Sky Knights from their slumber. They looked to see that Radarr had scampered up to the window, seeing some light coming through the curtains.

Aerrow sat up sleepily. "Good morning." He yawned as Suzy-Lu stretched out.

"What a wonderful dream I was having..." She got out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Morning, babe."

"Sleep well, honey?" Aerrow questioned, slipping out of his PJs to put on some daytime clothing.

Suzy-Lu let out a chuckle at his words. "You know it." She let out a contented sigh. "Didn't think I'd have the time to start a family, what with the Cyclonians out and about. Because of you and your friends, Aerrow, I haven't had to worry about that for years. I know I've probably said this about a thousand times, but... thank you... for everything."

Aerrow smiled warmly at her. "There's really no need to thank me, but-" Suzy-Lu snuck in a kiss, catching him by surprise. "Y-y-y-you're welcome."

Before either Sky Knight could start going down the stairs, there was a knock at the front door. Radarr rushed ahead, reaching up to turn the doorknob.

Once the door was open, it was revealed who was on the other side of it. "Hey there, Radarr. Aerrow and Suzy-Lu home?"

The two Sky Knights in question had just reached the living room, seeing their visitor. "Billy-Rex? What're you doing here?" Suzy-Lu wondered.

Billy-Rex held out an envelope... that had the insignia of the Rex Guardians stamped on it. "Harrier asked me to get this to you. Have a nice day."

With the delivery made, Billy-Rex departed.

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu sat around the dining room table, and the former opened the envelope. "Looks like Harrier's sending party invites."

"What does it say?" Suzy-Lu asked as Danny-Sky and Sierra came out of their bedroom.

"It says 'I, Harrier of the Rex Guardians, hereby invite any and all available members of the disbanded Storm Hawks squadron, and any families they may have started after going their separate ways, to an admittedly overdue celebration to commemorate the end of the Cyclonian empire.'."

Suzy-Lu seemed intrigued. "This should be interesting. Let's fly."

"That's my line." Aerrow chuckled.

Within minutes, the whole family had arrived at Terra Rex, touching down in the airstrip, and it was, surprisingly enough, devoid of any audience of screaming fans.

They weren't the only ones there though. The other Storm Hawk Skimmers were parked outside, alongside a Skimmer from the Interceptors, and the Condor.

Another thing worth noting would be a large object in the back of the airstrip, covered in a rather large tarp.

Upon reaching the dining hall, they saw that it was filled. The entirety of the Rex Guardians were standing up at the back end of the table, which was stocked with cuisine and refreshments. The other guests consisted of Junko, Finn, Starling, Piper, and Stork. By the looks of it, Finn and Starling had themselves a daughter, and she didn't even look 10 yet, in contrast to Danny-Sky and Sierra both being 11... even if Sierra was older by a few minutes.

Harrier noticed their arrival. "Ahh. The Sky Knight of the hour. Or should I say, the Sky Knights. Aerrow of the Storm Hawks and Suzy-Lu of the Absolute Zeros. Oh! And their children are here too. And... Radarr, the mission specialist and Aerrow's copilot. We've been waiting for you all to show up." He then gestured to all the other visitors. "Now that everyone is present and accounted for, let us feast in recognition of the heroism and determination of the Storm Hawks. But... do try to make as little a mess as possible." Harrier added with a chuckle.

Right as Radarr started toward the roast turkey in the center of the table, Aerrow held him back. "Sorry, but no. Remember what happened last time you lunged at the turkey?"

Piper overheard this and shuddered at the memory. "Complete and total disaster..."

"We should watch our manners here." Aerrow ended off, putting Radarr back down on his feet.

Harrier seemed to dismiss the issue. "Oh please. Let him at it." He pulled a leg off the roast turkey and tossed it to Radarr, who jumped up and caught it. "Just... take it easy. No need to go crazy. Relax. Revel in your accomplishment."

As everyone began chowing down, Aerrow caught sight of Junko devouring everything on his plate whole. What else would you expect from the Wallop that bested the Colonel in a food eating contest?

Harrier's voice broke the quietness in the room. "After the feast, there is something we would like to show you."

Eventually, after everyone has had their fill, the Rex Guardians escorted their guests to the vacant airstrip.

"In honor of the accomplishments of the Storm Hawks." The tarp was then pulled down, revealing a golden monument; a statue of Aerrow, Radarr, Finn, Junko, Piper, and Stork.

"How long did it take you to make this?" Finn wondered.

Piper was the one to answer. "With my help, just a few weeks. If I didn't help, it'd have probably taken the Rex Guardians months... and it likely wouldn't even be close to accurate."

"It will be delivered to Terra Atmosia tomorrow afternoon for public display. I thought it best to show you before it heads out." Harrier said, stepping forth. "We would like to know... if it is to your liking."

"I could hang a picture of it on the bridge of the Condor." Stork stated, drawing a glare from Harrier. "I don't normally do that. But this would be the very first exception. And for good reason." Harrier's irritated scowl turned to a pleased smile. "One thing it could be is... motivation in times of despair."

Junko had something to say himself. "I like it. Really honors the name."

"I'm so glad you think so too." The Rex Guardian Sky Knight chuckled.

"Thanks, Harrier." Starling said. "But... try not to bring Finn's ego back." Everyone else burst into laughter.

"I don't really care about fame and fortune." Everyone turned to Aerrow. "All that mattered to me as a Storm Hawks Sky Knight was doing the right thing."

"You are a man of nobility, Aerrow." Harrier commended. "You have my respect."

Aerrow felt a tug on his finger. He looked down, seeing his son. "Dad, can we go home?"

Ruffling the hair on his son's head, Aerrow answered. "Of course."

"I suppose it is time for everyone to get back to their day." Harrier stated. "Best of luck to all of you."

* * *

A golden statue of the Storm Hawks. Nice.

See you guys next time.


	12. CH11

S15-11  
**Icy surprise**

* * *

A new day in Atmos, and Aerrow and Suzy-Lu were watching their son and daughter play around with the other kids on Blizzaris.

Danny-Sky rode his sled down the snowy hill as if he were on a surfboard, while Sierra was in a snowball fight with Billy-Rex and Jenna-Luvly's daughter, Elena-Rex.

"Have I ever told you about the time I figured out my move?" Aerrow asked.

Suzy-Lu stared off for a bit, then shrugged. "Can't say that you have."

"OK. So... Carver, Sky Knight of Terra Atmosia and leader of the Red Eagles, was actually a servant of the Cyclonian empire. He took the Aurora Stone the first time. I tried to stop him, but when he called us a bunch of kids, I just... got mad, and the next thing I knew, I unleashed the Lightning Claw, and took him down."

"Carver had it coming. He broke his oath." Suzy-Lu stated, the start of a scowl on her face. Her expression lightened up as she turned back to Aerrow. "Think I saw your move back when the Cyclonians had those strange crystals. You took out the Dark Ace-" She snapped her fingers. "-just like that!"

"C'mon. I'll show you a demonstration." Aerrow and Suzy-Lu stood up, unknowingly drawing their son's attention as Danny-Sky dragged his sled back up the hill.

In their backyard, Aerrow put up a few targets, then took out his twin energy blades, both outfitted with the usual Blue Striker Crystal.

"You sure about this, Aerrow?" Suzy-Lu wondered, looking at the target that resembled the Dark Ace.

Aerrow smirked, igniting his blades. "I might be... a little rusty. But I think I can manage. I don't wanna hurt you by accident, so could you-" Suzy-Lu backed away from the targets. "Thanks." Aerrow leaped into the air, the energy of the crystals powering his blades surging through him. Holding the blades over his head, Aerrow swiped them downward, unleashing a devastating bolt. The target that resembled the Dark Ace was blown to pieces.

Suzy-Lu looked over the remnants. "Whoa. Think I could do something like that?" She had that twinkle in her eyes that Aerrow found irresistible.

"Alright." He chuckled. "Wait here." He rushed into the house, coming back out around a minute later with Suzy-Lu's staff, a Blizzard Crystal affixed to the end of it. "Think this'll work better for you... eh?"

As Suzy-Lu took her staff, she rolled her eyes and lightly giggled at Aerrow's attempt at the Blizzarian accent. "Just stop. Heh... It doesn't suit you." Aerrow's expression faded as he turned away. She took notice immediately and decided to cheer him up... with a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry about the accent. It doesn't matter." That's right. She's been working to take up Aerrow's accent a few days after their wedding.

With Aerrow feeling better about his admittedly embarrassing impression of the Blizzarian accent, Suzy-Lu focused on the task ahead of her.

As Aerrow walked Suzy-Lu through the process, Danny-Sky watched his parents from behind a mound of snow. He'd followed them since they left, and he saw the whole thing. "Maybe I could do that..." He wondered to himself quietly.

Again and again, Suzy-Lu tried to figure out her move, but nothing ever happened. Eventually, she gave up. "I don't think... this is... something that can... be taught to... others... on a whim." She sighed, breathing heavily.

Suzy-Lu wasn't the only one who was bummed out about it. "And I had such high hopes for you too..." Aerrow sighed.

"Why don't we head inside and have some lunch?" Suzy-Lu suggested, walking toward their back door.

A light grumbling from Aerrow's stomach convinced him to join in. "Yeah, I'm hungry too."

As the two started heading inside, Suzy-Lu reached for her staff... which wasn't there. "Where'd it... Where'd it go? It was just here."

Without warning, a large icy blast hit the wooden target that resembled the leader of the Murk Raiders, Captain Scabulous. The target was fractured into pieces, which were all frozen in place by a mess of ice.

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu looked to the source of the attack, seeing their son, Danny-Sky, holding his mother's staff. "Pirates... Why do some of the other kids think they're cool?" The youngling turned to his parents, who continued to gawk at him. "What? I don't like pirates."

"Did our little boy just..." Aerrow began, looking between his son and the frozen fragments.

Suzy-Lu patted him on the shoulder. "Yes. He did." She looked at the result of their son's attack. "The Arctic Fang."

Aerrow turned to her. "'Arctic Fang'? Is that what we're calling it?"

"How 'bout you, 'Lightning Claw'?" Suzy-Lu teased playfully.

"I didn't pick the name." Aerrow retorted, turning away. "My dad told it to me. It just turned out to be my move."

The married couple turned back to their son. "He really takes after his father."

"Definitely."

A few minutes later, the whole family was back in the house, with Aerrow and Suzy-Lu in the kitchen, preparing lunch.

Danny-Sky couldn't help but notice Sierra's messy condition, but his sister didn't seem to mind the scratches. In fact, she looked as if she had lots of fun. "Rough day, sis?"

Sierra giggled. "Blizzarians really know how to have fun! By the way, where'd you wander off to earlier?"

Before Danny-Sky could answer, plates of homemade nachos were set on the table. Atop the tortilla chips was a generous coating of melty cheese, a sizeable sprinkling of bacon bits, and a few diced pepperonis. "Lunch is ready." Aerrow announced as he sat down.

Just then, Radarr came out of nowhere, and he was dripping wet with a black liquid. "Lost your balance and spilled oil on yourself?" Suzy-Lu wondered. Radarr groaned and nodded. "Wash yourself off, then you can have lunch. I'll handle the oil change." She got up, then headed to the garage, while Aerrow carried the sky monkey to the downstairs bathroom.

A few minutes later, the three had come back to finish their lunch. Once everyone was done, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu brought their son upstairs to their room for a talk. "You really surprised us earlier out there." Suzy-Lu said, ruffling the youngling's hair.

"I'm sorry I spied on you."

Aerrow put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I think there's a bright future ahead of you."

Danny-Sky looked up at his father, a smile forming on his face.

* * *

This is getting good.

See you next time, everyone. And Danny-Sky, we will all see you next time... Sky Knight.


	13. CH12

S15-12  
**The prodigal son**

* * *

Another peaceful day in Atmos, and flying through the skies were a Skimmer and an Ice Grinder.

Down there, on Terra Atmosia, was a newly knighted Blizzarian. Aerrow and Suzy-Lu's 20-year-old son, and behind him was the Sky Knight Council.

It was unfortunate what happened to the bureaucrat they were familiar with. He had succumbed to his old age three years ago. His replacement, however, looked to be a 38-year-old woman.

The two landed, then left their vehicles. Aerrow and Suzy-Lu approached the group. "We've been waiting for you to arrive." The new bureaucrat started. "Your son, Danny-Sky, passed all the Sky Knight trials with flying colors. As Sky Knights yourselves, you should be very proud of him. And that move of his, the..." She looked at her papers. "The Arctic Fang. That move of his is truly incredible. We don't have any open squadrons on record right now, so-"

"Has any one Terra ever had more than one squadron?" Aerrow wondered.

The new bureaucrat shrugged. "Not to my knowledge. But a squadron having more than one Sky Knight? That never happened..." She turned and pointed to Suzy-Lu. "...until you sent Aerrow the invite. It's actually quite spectacular. A Sky Knight family, on the other hand, is much more remarkable. According to Danny-Sky, your daughter wanted to form a new Red Eagles squadron here on Atmosia."

"Considering what happened to the old one." Suzy-Lu added.

"Truly a tragic day. Betrayed and wiped out by their own leader and Sky Knight, who served Cyclonia." The bureaucrat's sullen expression brightened up. "But with Cyclonia long gone, and Carver dealt with, I have faith that Sierra is just the squad leader we need... even if she isn't a Sky Knight."

Later that day, after the whole family had returned home to Blizzaris, Danny-Sky headed out back, practicing hand-to-hand combat against the wooden targets that resembled Murk Raiders.

Seeing his son's dedication, Aerrow went upstairs to get him something. On the wall, under his twin energy blades, was the weapon of his rival, the man who was single-handedly responsible for the destruction of the old Storm Hawks. The two-handed crystal blade of the Dark Ace.

Aerrow took a box out of the closet, and inside were a few Blizzard Crystals.

A pleasant memory of the day of his proposal to Suzy-Lu came to mind. Piper's knowledge of crystals proved invaluable for... a gift. And as luck would have it, a crystal mining site down in the Wastelands had already dug into a very rare deposit of Blizzard Crystals. While Suzy-Lu was given a new Blizzard Crystal to replace the one she gave up a long time ago, she was also given something special: a crystal necklace. She looked so happy that day.

Snapping back to reality, Aerrow affixed a single Blizzard Crystal to the end of the two-handed crystal blade. It surged with a cold and white energy.

When Aerrow got back downstairs, he saw the other Absolute Zeros in the backyard, then put the blade on the counter as he opened the door.

"What were the Sky Knight trials like?" Billy-Rex asked excitedly.

"How does it feel to be like your parents?" Bobby-Bones wondered.

Jenna-Luvly ruffled Danny-Sky's hair. "You've certainly grown up fast, eh?"

As soon as the Absolute Zeros heard Aerrow close the back door, they stopped crowding his son and stepped away. "Give him some space. He's still exhausted from the Sky Knight trials." Aerrow then motioned for Danny-Sky to come inside.

Once the two were away from the others, Aerrow picked up the energy sword from the counter, then held it out for Danny-Sky to take. "There's history to this weapon. It was used by my father, the leader of the original Storm Hawks. It was then used by my archenemy, the Dark Ace, when he betrayed them and wiped them out. And years later, this blade was reclaimed from that most infamous traitor's possession. It's been waiting for a worthy wielder, and I have a feeling... that it's you."

As Danny-Sky reached for the blade, his mother walked in. "You're giving him... that? Well... I'm sure the trials have taught him the skills he needs."

Aerrow simply smiled and nodded at Suzy-Lu as their son took the two-handed crystal blade. "Thanks, dad."

Suddenly, Suzy-Lu and Danny-Sky's ears perked up. "What is that?" Aerrow wondered, putting a hand to his left ear. "It's like a... faint ringing in my ears."

"You can hear that...?" Suzy-Lu was astounded by the sensitivity of Aerrow's hearing. "That's the alarm out here on Blizzaris!"

Aerrow turned to her. "The alarm?! That means trouble!" He ran upstairs, followed by Suzy-Lu.

"Guess I'll just wait down here then." Danny-Sky said, leaning against a nearby wall. About a minute later, his parents came back down, wearing their armor and holding their weapons.

"Let's give 'em a... 'warm' welcome." Suzy-Lu joked, twirling her crystal staff.

Aerrow ran over to the radio in the living room. "But first, we should find out who our 'guests' are." He said as he went through the local channels.

Eventually, they heard a group of voices, singing together. "Deeps! Deeps! They'll crush your tiny hulls! Deeps! Deeps! Leave nothing but your skuuulls."

"Murk Raiders!" Aerrow exclaimed. Everyone headed out to the garage, where there was a Skimmer and two Ice Grinders. Aerrow and Radarr jumped on the Skimmer, and Suzy-Lu boarded her Ice Grinder, but Danny-Sky just stood there. "On second thought..." Aerrow got up and stood next to the vehicle. "Why don't you take the Skimmer?"

As Danny-Sky climbed up into his father's Skimmer, Aerrow hopped on his own modified Ice Grinder.

"Radarr?" The sky monkey popped his head up to look at Suzy-Lu. "Door?" Radarr pulled out a wrench, then threw it at the lever on the wall. The garage door opened, allowing all three vehicles to rev out.

* * *

Danny-Sky is a Sky Knight, Sierra is restoring the Red Eagles, and... the Murk Raiders are coming!

People hearing dog whistles? That's happened quite a bit. In fact, I am one such individual. Caught me off-guard the first time... as far as memory serves.

See you guys next time.


	14. CH13

S15-13  
**A little help from the cavalry**

* * *

On this day, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu's son, Danny-Sky, became a Sky Knight.

On this day, the Murk Raiders appeared over Blizzaris, with intentions unknown.

On this day... Aerrow sent out a call over the radio, asking for help.

A few Murk Raider ships landed, letting loose the pirates onboard, while the ones that stayed in the air were occupied with the Absolute Zeros.

"Don't give up!" Aerrow yelled as he narrowly avoided crystal cannon fire. "Why are they here anyway?"

Suzy-Lu used her staff to freeze one of the cannons. "They're pirates! They probably think they'll find treasure here!"

"Then they're in for some painful disappointment!" Danny-Sky jumped off his father's Skimmer, the energy of his weapon's Blizzard Crystal surging through him as he unleashed the Arctic Fang with a single slash. The attack blasted a frozen hole through the side of the leading ship. Landing back on the Skimmer, Danny-Sky headed into the hull breach. "Take down the leader, and the rest will go without a fight!"

Hearing his son's words, Aerrow's mind turned back to when he told his family about the time the Storm Hawks found themselves at Terra Deep. He snapped back to the present, then drew his blades upon entering the ship.

They were immediately confronted by the onboard Murk Raider welcoming committee, with all their weapons at the ready, but it was four against at least twenty-seven. This wasn't a fair fight. Then again, when have the Murk Raiders ever fought fair? The overwhelming odds forced them to retreat back to their vehicles and fly back out. "If we can't bring it down from the inside, then we need to find a way to take it down on the outside!" Danny-Sky surmised.

"Where's that help I called for?" Aerrow wondered, seeing more Murk Raider ships coming in overhead. "And what're they even here for? It's like all of Terra Deep is raiding Blizzaris at once!"

"Look! Down there!" Suzy-Lu exclaimed.

Aerrow looked down at the Terra, seeing Murk Raiders coming out of the houses, some holding crystals. "They're here for the Blizzard Crystals! There's no telling what kind of damage they could do with those! We have to stop them!"

"But how? The help you called for hasn't even responded!" Right as Danny-Sky said that, there was a loud horn bellowing through the air. Another ship flew out of the clouds overhead, blasting away at the pirate ships. "What in the..."

"You were saying?" Aerrow had that smug 'I told you so' look on his face. "The cavalry has arrived." From the new ship's landing strip came a few more vehicles.

Suddenly, a familiar voice was on the radio. "Terribly sorry for the delay. We had to make sure we got everyone."

"Starling? What're you doing here?" Aerrow questioned. "And where's Stork?"

"A bit occupied with those Murk Raider ships at the moment. It was his idea to gather the rest of your old squad." Starling replied. "And he's a bit riled up about the Murk Raiders calling the Condor a flying trash heap."

"Three Murk Raider ships against one angry Merb?" Aerrow started. "We could barely handle one ship as a squadron!"

Just then, Starling showed up in person, riding her Interceptors Skimmer. "I don't think that'll be a problem."

As if to confirm Starling's statement, two Murk Raider ships started falling out of the sky, dropping into the Wastelands. All that remained in the sky were the Condor and the leading vessel of the Murk Raiders, on which resided the leader, Captain Scabulous.

"You ready to apologize yet, scab face?!" Stork yelled over the radio. "AND DON'T THINK I FORGOT WHAT YOU DID TO THE CONDOR THE FIRST TIME!"

"Aerrow!" He turned back to Starling. "You four head into that ship and take out Scabulous. The others and I will deal with the Murk Raiders down on the Terra."

Danny-Sky interjected. "We already tried. We were immediately outnumbered."

Starling looked back up at the Murk Raider vessel, seeing a hull breach surrounded in ice on the side. "I see." She got back on the radio. "Junko, Danny-Sky's Arctic Fang punched a hole through that ship. We need you to clear the room."

"Wait!" Aerrow exclaimed, getting Starling's attention. "Junko's allergic to Murk Raiders!"

Starling chuckled briefly. "I know. Finn told me. Junko's sneeze will blow them away, allowing you to make your way to Captain Scabulous, take him down, and force the Murk Raiders to retreat."

Aerrow looked up as Junko's Skimmer flew right into the hull breach. Seconds later, there was a loud noise. "AAAHHH-CHOOOO!" They took that as a signal to head back inside.

Upon entry, Aerrow, Suzy-Lu, Danny-Sky, and Radarr saw the Murk Raiders all knocked out against the far wall. "Gesundheit." Danny-Sky said, giving the Wallop a pat on the back. Junko smiled at him.

Within minutes, they had arrived at the bridge. Right there, sitting in his chair, was the notorious Captain Scabulous. "Now what do we have here?" He cackled. "The rumors were true! Two Sky Knights got together and had themselves a son! Haa!"

"I have a sister!" Danny-Sky growled angrily. "She went to Atmosia to talk to the Sky Knight council about restoring the Red Eagles!"

Captain Scabulous had an amused expression on his face. "Ooh! We haven't seen a Red Eagle for years! And when we're done here, we're heading to Atmosia to pay your sister a visit!"

"LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!" Danny-Sky leaped into the air, the energy of his Blizzard Crystal surging through him. With a horizontal swipe of his blade, he unleashed a powerful bolt. The Arctic Fang blew a newly frozen Scabulous out of his now shattered chair.

Aerrow and Suzy-Lu looked at each other, then at the new Scabulous-cicle. "That was quick." Aerrow said, surprised.

"Our son doesn't mess around, does he?" Suzy-Lu turned to the other Murk Raiders in the room. They were cowering. "You!" She pointed to the one that had only a single eye. "Why were you stealing Blizzard Crystals?"

"Blizzard Crystals can freeze crew!" From the way he talked, you could tell this guy's not running on all cylinders. "We take crystals, we can steal crew with no trouble. Take crew first, then steal ship and supplies. Captain's idea!"

Danny-Sky spoke up as he put a foot to the frozen Murk Raider leader. "I'll bet he's going to Atmosia anyway... only to end up behind bars."

With the Murk Raiders defeated, and Captain Scabulous taken to the prison on Atmosia, Aerrow and his family grouped up with the people who helped them.

"We couldn't thank you enough." Aerrow said, shaking Starling's hand.

Starling chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Just seeing the Murk Raiders gone is good enough for me."

"Same here." Danny-Sky added.

Just then, a thought came to Aerrow. "Hang on..."

"What is it?" Suzy-Lu wondered.

"Remember when I 'unofficially' joined the Absolute Zeros?" Aerrow questioned. "And I asked about some sort of initiation or test to prove my worth?"

Suzy-Lu nodded. "Yeah?"

"I guess I finally got that test."

"Oh! Right. And it only took... what? At least thirty years?" She chuckled. "I'd say you passed."

Aerrow shrugged. "I guess Billy-Rex's suggestion got approved after all."

* * *

Pirates... They make me sick. Good riddance to the Murk Raiders.

Oh well... See you guys next time.


	15. CH14

S15-14  
**Nightmare of the past**

* * *

It's been a few weeks since the end of the Murk Raiders, and all of Atmos was grateful for the actions of the newest Sky Knight, the son of Aerrow and Suzy-Lu, Danny-Sky.

Today, when Suzy-Lu was coming home from winning yet another race, she took notice of Billy-Rex approaching the door, obviously unaware that she was nearby as he reached to put a letter in the mailbox.

"Billy-Rex!" She called out. "Good race!"

The Blizzarian turned around, seeing Sky Knight Suzy-Lu. "Yeah! Y'know what else is good?" Billy-Rex handed her the envelope. "There's a new beach resort on Tropica! Everyone's goin!" With that, he departed.

Suzy-Lu thought about it for a moment as she opened the door. "A beach resort on Tropica? Maybe I should invite my squadron to take a vacation." She went to the couch in the corner of the living room and sat down to open the envelope. "While I'm at it, I should invite Aerrow and the rest of our family."

"Invite us to what?"

Suzy-Lu jumped and yelped, her heart skipping a beat. Standing at the edge of the couch was her husband, wearing an apologetic grin on his face. "How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me like that?!" She whined, catching her breath.

Aerrow couldn't help but chuckle. "Sorry. Didn't know I was 'sneaking around'." He then sat down next to Suzy-Lu as she calmed down. "What'd we get?"

Suzy-Lu opened the envelope, pulling a letter out of it. "By the looks of it, we got an invitation to a party." She looked through the letter some more. "And the party's being held at Tropica! Here I was, thinking about asking you and the others to go to Tropica with me, and we've already been invited by... surprise, surprise... the Sky Knight council!"

"Let's fly." Aerrow said, getting up to go find a good change of clothes.

About half an hour later, seven Ice Grinders and a Skimmer were flying to Tropica, and in the lead were Aerrow and Suzy-Lu.

By the time everyone touched down on Tropica, there was already a whole lot of other people there, having come from all across the Atmos.

"Yikes. Hot out here." Billy-Rex pulled on the collar of his outfit, feeling the heat.

Suzy-Lu huffed at him. "Why do you think I told you all to bring a change of clothing for warmer climates?" Billy-Rex facepalmed at his own stupidity. He did bring a change of clothes for Tropica, yet he still complained about the heat.

"There's a changing shack over on the side of the beach." Aerrow stated, pointing to said shack.

A few minutes later, everyone came back out of the shack, ready for some fun in the sun.

Aerrow picked up a surfboard and handed it to Suzy-Lu. He then looked her up and down, a hint of a blush on his face. She wore a white tank top and pink short trunks. "You look... You... Uh..."

She took the surfboard and pulled Aerrow into a kiss. "You're cute when you're flustered."

Once Aerrow snapped out of it, he joined the others in enjoying their time here. He grabbed his own surfboard and set out to ride the waves. He saw Buff Buzzards, Screaming Queens, and Neck Deeps doing the same. Even his son, Danny-Sky, was having the time of his life. "YAAAHOOOOOOO!"

Aerrow ended up beside Suzy-Lu after the last wave splashed over the shoreline. "Where'd the Absolute Zeros learn how to surf?"

"How do you think our son has been sledding?" Suzy-Lu had a point. Danny-Sky has been sledding as if he were on a surfboard. No doubt the other Blizzarians got interested.

"Well, you got me there." Aerrow shrugged. "What's next?"

Suzy-Lu turned toward the beach bar, run by a friendly-looking bartender. "Hungry? Thirsty?"

He followed her gaze, seeing the bar. "Oh. I guess I could go for a drink."

Getting back to the beach, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu headed to the barrel-shaped bar. "What can I get you?" The bartender asked, cleaning out a recently used glass.

"Got any fruit juice?" Aerrow wondered.

The bartender chuckled as he put down the glass. "Do I ever! Coming right up." He took out two clean glasses, put them on the counter, and filled them with the juice of various fruits from across the quadrant. Before serving these tasty beverages, the bartender finished them off with miniature parasols.

Fruity drinks in hand, Aerrow and Suzy-Lu went to take their seats under the shade of the nearby umbrellas.

"Enjoying it so far?" Aerrow asked, taking a sip of his juice.

Suzy-Lu put her drink off to the side and leaned on him, a smile forming on her face as she nuzzled against his cheek. "You can say that again."

Aerrow smirked and repeated himself quietly. "Enjoying it so far?" This made her laugh.

Watching the others have fun on the waves, Suzy-Lu turned back to Aerrow. "What did you ever see in me...?"

"What's this about?" Aerrow was honestly confused as to why Suzy-Lu was questioning the beginning of their relationship.

"It's just... something I've had on my mind for... a while."

Aerrow pulled her close. "You're fierce. You're independent. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty. You're smart. You're..." He chuckled a bit. "Now that I think about it, there aren't enough words to describe you." At this, Suzy-Lu broke out into laughter.

Once the laughing fit was over, she grabbed her glass and downed the rest of her drink. "Whatchu wanna do now?"

Aerrow looked around, seeing a fun activity starting nearby. "We could play some volleyball. How 'bout it?"

Suzy-Lu got up and started doing some stretches. "Sure. I'm game."

This match was a 3-on-3. On one side were Aerrow, Suzy-Lu, and Harrier. On the other stood Finn, Starling, and Junko.

Stork tossed the ball up into the air. When it came down, Finn hit it, passing the ball to Starling, who sent it over the net. Aerrow managed to keep the ball from hitting the ground, and returned it over the net. After that, Junko hit it... a little too hard. The ball flew high into the air, landing somewhere in the forest.

"I'll get it!" Suzy-Lu then turned and ran into the forest.

Junko rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, guys."

"No worries." Aerrow said, patting the Wallop on the back. "Why not go snorkeling?"

Starling joined in. "I'm sure Finn would want to go snorkeling as well. As for me... Well, I suppose I should see what it's like."

Nodding, Aerrow turned to the forest, but before he could even get close to the first tree, he heard a shriek. Thoughts going crazy, Aerrow made a mad dash toward the source of the sound.

Aerrow ran through the trees, looking for Suzy-Lu. He caught sight of a darkly hooded figure fleeing the scene. "Was that a... No. Gotta stay focused."

Over an old, fallen tree he went, and right there... was Suzy-Lu. But he's never seen her like this. Eyes wide, pupils shrunken, foetal position, hands on head, shaking like an earthquake... What could be so horrible that it could terrify the most fearless of the Blizzarians?

Aerrow rushed to her side. "Suzy-Lu! Are you OK?"

"Mas... c-clo... ha-a-and... m-mind..." She was stammering almost incomprehensibly.

It was then that some of Aerrow's friends showed up. Finn, Starling, Piper, and Harrier had followed him into the forest.

"Aerrow, let me take a look." Aerrow stood aside, allowing Piper to examine Suzy-Lu. She gasped in shock and dread. "Post-traumatic sky shock...? What could've done this to her?"

"I thought I saw something in the trees right before I found her." Aerrow told her, hoping that would clear something up, for he was deeply worried about Suzy-Lu. He threw his arms around Suzy-Lu, gently rubbing her cheek. "It's OK. I'm here."

She slowly turned her head to look at Aerrow, her breath slowing as she calmed down. "Aer... row...?"

He smiled, then held her closer. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." Suzy-Lu broke down in his arms, crying into Aerrow's shoulder. "Now... What happened?"

"I saw... I saw a Night Crawler. Then... I-I-I don't know. It was like..." She was still shaken up from the experience. "I could see... Master Cyclonis. And she had this purple crystal in her staff, which she pointed... at me. Then, I... I could feel her hands, sifting through my mind. It hurt... so much... and... there was nothing I could do about it. It was like she had complete and total control over me... And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I saw... my mom and dad... and... and I heard their screams... It was horrible..."

Harrier watched as Aerrow tried his best to comfort Suzy-Lu, then he looked up into the canopy of the forest, reaching a decision. "Aerrow, Suzy-Lu, I solemnly swear on my honor as a Rex Guardian that my squadron and I will find this Night Crawler... and teach it a lesson it will never forget."

"I think I might be able to help." Starling said, cracking her knuckles.

Finn stood by Starling's side. "And I would like to join you."

"Nobody does this to my two best friends..." Piper clenched her fists.

Aerrow raised his head, seeing someone behind the group. It was his son. "Danny-Sky? How long have you-"

"I heard everything." He said, anger very much present in his eyes. "That Night Crawler messed with a member of my family. Hold nothing back." The sun set behind him, adding a darker atmosphere to his angered voice.

Piper then turned to the two married Sky Knights. "You two might wanna turn in early tonight." Aerrow nodded, helping a shaky Suzy-Lu to her feet to lead her back to their vehicles.

The next morning, Aerrow awoke to the sight of Suzy-Lu in his arms, and she had her arms around him too. "Good morning, beautiful." He said as her eyes slowly opened.

Suzy-Lu buried her face in his neck, but responded nonetheless. "Good morning, Aerrow."

"Must've been one heck of a dream you had last night."

With that, she took a deep breath. "A dream... and a memory."

Aerrow sat up, his arms still around the Blizzarian. "You wanna talk about it? Or is the memory too painful?"

"No... I need to let it out." Suzy-Lu seemed uncomfortable, but because Aerrow was with her, she worked up the courage to talk about something this... personal. "Seeing that Night Crawler in the woods yesterday cleared up a memory. It was the last time I saw my mom and dad. A Night Crawler was there too, and he... he..." She started to break down into tears.

But Aerrow was there to comfort her. "It's OK... W-we can stop if you-"

"N-no!" She interrupted him. "I..." Suzy-Lu took a few deep breaths to try and calm down. "I suppose... it would be for the best to move on. I guess I should talk about my dream last night."

"What'd you dream about?"

She looked away for a second, then started telling him about her dream. "In my dream, that same Night Crawler came back... and it was looking to finish the job. It was looking... to finish me off. Then... there you were. You fought it off. You... protected me."

Aerrow pulled her tightly into a hug. "I swore on my life that I would always be there for you." He gently planted a kiss on her nose. "And I have no intention of breaking that promise any time soon."

Just then, there was a knock at the front door, and Radarr scampered down to see who it was. "Hey. How's it goin, Radarr?" It was Finn! The sky monkey happily hopped up to give his old friend a good hug. "Missed you too, little guy. Are the Mr. and Mrs. awake yet?"

Radarr jumped back down, rushing up the stairs. "Who is it, buddy?" Aerrow wondered.

"Sounded like Finn." Suzy-Lu said, getting dressed.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs could be heard, so Radarr turned around to make a hand gesture, telling Finn to wait as he closed the bedroom door, giving Aerrow and Suzy-Lu some privacy.

About half a minute later, Finn heard the two make their way down the stairs while he sat on the couch. "Hey, you two."

"What's up, Finn?" Aerrow greeted.

Finn's smile faded. He looked serious. "Starling and I found out why the Night Crawler attacked Suzy-Lu. It was acting under orders... from Carver." He then saw Aerrow's scowl. "Turns out he's out for revenge. That Night Crawler said something about... 'vengeful suffering'."

"Is he still locked up at Terra Atmosia?" Aerrow asked, anger clearly present in his voice.

Finn shook his head. "No. I heard they've been making use of Terra Zartacla for war criminals. Turns out, Carver's being held there."

"Zartacla Prison, huh? Brings back memories..." Aerrow smirked. "How's the ol' warden?"

"You mean Mr. Moss?" A chuckle escaped Finn. "Locked behind his own bars." Just then, a thought crossed his mind. "And don't worry about beating Carver to a pulp or anything. We already told the new warden about it. We may not be in the same squad anymore, but that doesn't necessarily mean we stop looking out for each other."

"Do you at least know where the Night Crawler is?"

Finn shrugged. "Back on Terra Mesa. Starling wanted to make him talk... her way." He shuddered, not wanting to be in that Night Crawler's shoes. "I've gotten on her bad side before, so I have a pretty good idea of how painful her interrogation methods can be."

* * *

In the episode 'Five Days', when Master Cyclonis got what she needed from Suzy-Lu, she was thrown out of the ship and onto a desert-like terra... with what appeared to be a case of mild amnesia (having no recollection of such an event). I'd say seeing that Night Crawler cleared it up... in a far-from-pleasant way.

From what I got in 'Leviathan', post-traumatic sky shock has four stages;  
1: Disorientation  
2: Joint stiffness  
3: Delusions of grandeur  
4: Memory loss  
And Aerrow managed to snap her out of it before stage 2 could happen. It's heartwarming to think that his voice could penetrate her panicked mind and make her regain her senses.

Next chapter? Hm... Bit of a sick day. See you there.


	16. CH15

S15-15  
**Sick day**

* * *

It was just another normal day in Atmos for everyone, whether it was the Rebel Ducks of Terra Gale on another patrol, Stork unintentionally breaking the Bucking Bronco on Terra Neon yet again, Repton feeding on whatever scraps he could get in the Wastelands for survival as he tried to figure out how to get back to Terra Bogaton, or even Piper relaxing with her husband and their daughter on Terra Rex.

The Absolute Zeros were in the middle of a snowboarding game, and they were having a lot of fun.

By the time all was said and done for the first game, Aerrow and Radarr had returned, with a generous load of refreshments. "Who's up for a drink?" The entire squadron gathered, each member getting a cup of hot cocoa.

"Oh, that's good." Jenna-Luvly sighed heavenly between sips.

Bobby-Bones looked highly pleased. "That's some good stuff right there, eh?"

Suzy-Lu pulled Aerrow into a hug with her free arm. "For cold-loving Blizzarians, my squad sure does take well to a heated beverage." The two lightly clacked their cups together. "But a cup of hot cocoa is definitely a good thing to have after some stunts. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Aerrow seemed... happily relaxed, especially considering how Suzy-Lu's nightmares had stopped just last week.

Billy-Rex walked up to Aerrow and handed him a snowboard. "Up for a little 1-on-1?"

Before Aerrow could make a decision, he felt a playful shove to the shoulder. "Go for it." Suzy-Lu encouraged.

"You're on."

Aerrow and Billy-Rex eventually reached the top of the mountain course, where they got on their snowboards and began their descent.

Somehow, they made time to talk. "How are you so... resilient to the cold here, Aerrow?"

"I've been living here for years and you only ask that now?" Aerrow chuckled. "It's called thermal adaptation. My body readjusted to the cold of Blizzaris over time. The longer I stayed, the more I acclimatized to the lower temperatures... to a certain extent."

"You're a bit more like us because of it." Billy-Rex noted.

Aerrow nodded. "I still tend to wear that outfit you guys gave me."

A freezing water pit came up, and the two nailed the jump. The others down below cheered them on.

As they neared the end, Aerrow fumbled a jump, falling into another pit of water. Billy-Rex passed the finish line seconds later.

Everyone waited a minute, and Aerrow came into view... but he was shivering from the cold water. Suzy-Lu rushed to his side. "Aerrow! Are you OK?"

"I g-g-g-got out of th-th-there as f-fast as I c-c-could. S-so c-c-c-c-c-cold... AAACHOOO!" He sneezed out of nowhere, and now there was a viscous substance leaking from his nose.

"We need to get him somewhere warm!" Bobby-Bones exclaimed, to which the others nodded.

In about a minute, the Absolute Zeros had gotten Aerrow to his home, where Suzy-Lu and Radarr tended to him. His wet outfit was replaced with dry clothes from the closet next to the bathroom door as Radarr scampered down the stairs to get something helpful.

Very soon, Aerrow's shivering stopped, partially relieving Suzy-Lu. "OK. That's better." She put a hand to his forehead as Radarr came back up with a rag soaked with hot water. "You're warming up. How do you feel?"

"S-still a little ch-ch-chilly."

Suzy-Lu grabbed the steaming rag and placed it upon Aerrow's forehead. "Second biggest scare I've ever had."

"I'll try not to m-make it a habit."

It was then that Suzy-Lu went into the bathroom, then came back out with a thermometer. She stuck it in Aerrow's mouth, then waited for the results. "Yikes. Body temp's 95.8° Fahrenheit. You about caught something serious."

"Good thing you were there. The love we hold for each other is what keeps my heart warm."

Aerrow's words caused Suzy-Lu to chuckle. "I got something else that'll help." She headed into the bathroom, then grabbed a box out of the mirror cabinet above the sink. Cold medicine. Suzy-Lu came back to the bedroom, only to see Radarr laying on Aerrow's chest. "Silly sky monkey..."

Aerrow looked at the box Suzy-Lu had in her hand. "We just... have that lying around?"

"Not really." She shrugged. "Sierra caught a cold last month. Remember?"

"No doubt a result of a bet with some childhood friends. You should've seen her." Aerrow chuckled. "She totally outdid everyone else." His smile faded. "But she got careless. Ended up falling into one of those freezing water pits."

Suzy-Lu shuddered at the memory. "Like you, she's lucky she didn't catch pneumonia or hypothermia or anything from those chilling waters. Nobody's fallen into those for years, so we pretty much forgot how seriously dangerous they can be. I'll have 'em taken out as soon as possible." She then set the box of cold pills on the nightstand and headed down into the kitchen, coming back up half a minute later with a glass of water. "Here."

Complying, Aerrow gulped the pill, then washed it down with the water. Once that was done, Aerrow took a tissue out of the other box on the nightstand and blew his nose. "Thank you."

Laying back down, Aerrow's eyes began to close... until Suzy-Lu laid right next to him. "Might as well warm you up while the medicine does its thing."

"No argument here." Aerrow chuckled, planting a kiss on her forehead, making the Blizzarian giggle. "You... are an angel."

A bright smile lit up Suzy-Lu's face. "And you..." She pulled him close. "...are the light of my life."

A few hours later, there was a knock at the front door.

Aerrow tried to get up, only for Suzy-Lu to gently push him back down. "You still need to rest. I'll get the door."

Once downstairs, Suzy-Lu opened the door, seeing that the visitor was Billy-Rex's wife, Jenna-Luvly. "Is Aerrow OK?" She wondered.

"He... held onto the edge of 'manageably well', threatening to lose his grip and fall into 'seriously ill'. And I pulled him back up." Suzy-Lu explained. "A cold pill, warm water, and some rest are what he's gotten."

"Why?"

Suzy-Lu rolled her eyes. "The pill is for his sniffles and runny nose. The warm water is for his body temperature. And the rest is so he can recover from the experience." She then took on a more serious tone of voice. "We need to get rid of all those freezing water pits. I know us Blizzarians can take the cold, but even we have limits. And those pits are a hazard. Why do we even have those?"

"Don't know." Jenna-Luvly then tilted her head to the side. "Still not sure why you're talkin like that. Ain't it a bit confusin for you?"

The Sky Knight chuckled. "Think he's been... rubbing off on me. Living with someone so... different... for so long... can inspire changes to some aspects of yourself."

"Yeah. Billy-Rex got a bit more... gentle after we got together." Jenna-Luvly giggled. "He tends to get overprotective and sometimes tries a bit too hard, but he certainly means well, eh?"

"No doubt about that. He's always been like an older brother to me ever since..." Her smile faded.

Jenna-Luvly seemed to understand. "Ever since you lost your parents?" The Sky Knight nodded. "You two have always been best friends, so it'd make sense that he'd try to comfor-"

"Wait a minute." Suzy-Lu interrupted her. "Where are we going with this?"

This caused a snicker to escape Jenna-Luvly's lips. "Right. I came here to ask about Aerrow, and now I'm talkin 'bout your past and childhood friendship." She cleared her throat, then returned to the original topic. "We'll get those freezing water pits removed as soon as possible. Let Aerrow know that Billy-Rex is sorry about that incident."

"No. I'm the one who should be sorry. I told Aerrow to go for it when Billy-Rex challenged him." Suzy-Lu had that sad look on her face again. "And he came dangerously close to catching some serious illness because of it. Some trustworthy spouse I turned out to be..."

Jenna-Luvly dropped her jaw in disbelief. "Are you hearin yourself?! That was just one time! And it ain't like either o' you knew what would happen, eh?"

"But... I shouldn't have made him go ahead with it." Suzy-Lu had that look of regret in her eyes. "This is my faul-" She was suddenly interrupted.

"Hold up!" Jenna-Luvly yelled. "I ain't gonna letcha stand there and scold yourself! You need to forgive yourself! And there ain't a doubt in my mind that Aerrow's already forgiven you."

Back inside, Aerrow had just gotten up and was about to open the door to the bathroom until he heard the front door open. Suzy-Lu's voice could be heard from down the stairs. "Aerrow? You alright up there?"

"Yeah!" He called down. "I was just about to take a warm shower!"

"OK!"

Aerrow headed into the bathroom, turning the water on and letting it warm up as he laid a fresh set of clothes on the toilet seat cover. Getting his outfit off, Aerrow started to see steam coming up from behind the curtain.

A few minutes later, Aerrow stepped out of the tub, drying himself off with his sky blue towel that was in the cabinet under the sink. It was then that he heard Suzy-Lu's voice. "Aerrow! You done yet?"

Putting the clean clothes on, Aerrow exited the bathroom, then headed downstairs, seeing two plates of cookies and two glasses of milk on the kitchen table. "Aren't Danny-Sky and Sierra having any of this?"

"Danny-Sky's out getting to know the other Sky Knights and their squadrons. Sierra's going through the Sky Knight Trials to become the leader of the new Red Eagles. It's just us." Just then, a certain sky monkey came out of nowhere and snatched a cookie. "And Radarr." Suzy-Lu chuckled. "Be careful. They're still fresh out of the oven."

* * *

Well, that took... longer than it should have. Finally done.

Now, about the next one... Hmm...

See you all next time, guys.


	17. CH16

S15-16  
**Radarr**

* * *

Yet another calm day on Blizzaris, consisting of a few stunts, a race, and a game of keep-away. After that was over, Aerrow, Suzy-Lu, Danny-Sky, and Sierra headed back home.

"That was so much fun!" Sierra exclaimed, chuckling.

Danny-Sky dusted himself off. "Yeah. But I wasn't expecting dad to do that..." He shuddered. "...face."

"Merbian Crazy Face." Aerrow explained. "It's a tactic Stork's people used to ward off enemies. And it's fun!"

"It may have been fun for you, but that about gave me a heart attack!" Suzy-Lu whined.

Danny-Sky spoke up again. "Uh... Hey, dad?"

"What's up?" Aerrow wondered.

"Radarr doesn't look so good." The Blizzarian Sky Knight said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the sky monkey. Radarr was looking out the window, and he seemed... sad.

Aerrow put a hand on the sky monkey's shoulder. "Radarr? Are you doing OK?" His only response was to look at the former Storm Hawk for a second before returning his attention to the window... which provided a view of the horizon.

"Aerrow, any idea why Radarr stayed with us for so long?" Suzy-Lu wondered.

"Well... I think it's because he considers me family. A brother." At Aerrow's words, Radarr turned his head, a light smile on the sky monkey's face.

Sierra stepped up, hugging Radarr. "Then he probably misses his REAL family. They could be out there, back where Radarr came from."

"Y'think maybe he believes he'll never find himself a mate?" Suzy-Lu asked. "Maybe this is a chapter of his life that's dragged on long enough, and now it's time to turn the page."

"Great!" Sierra blurted out. "Now does anyone know where to find sky monkeys?"

Danny-Sky was the one to answer. "I might know a guy. He lives in what looks like an observatory on the other side of Terra Rex from the palace."

Aerrow picked up his co-pilot and headed to the garage. "Let's fly."

Touching down on Terra Rex, Aerrow and his family bumped into Harrier. "Oh! Good day, Aerrow. Suzy-Lu. Danny-Sky. Sierra. Ra... darr...?" The Rex Guardian noticed the sky monkey's odd mood. "Is something wrong with your co-pilot, Aerrow?"

"Yeah. My son told me we could find an expert in some observatory on the other side of Terra Rex."

Harrier nodded in approval. "Quite so. This way."

As the family followed Harrier on their vehicles, Aerrow popped a question. "I've flown over Terra Rex before. How come I've never seen an observatory around here?"

"The forest on this side of the Terra hides it exceedingly well." Harrier said. "The man who lives and works here is one of our most trusted experts. Much better than that I.J Domiwick fellow." Aerrow wasn't the only one who scowled at the mention of that name. "Unlike Domiwick, Johnathan does not care about fame or fortune. He is a man of many hobbies, and has a way of putting said hobbies together. Researching crystals, wildlife, flora, pretty much anything. If you're looking for an expert, Johnathan is THE best option." Not too long later, a sleek building came into view. "Well, here we are. Johnathan's observatory. If you have any concerns, feel free to ask him about it." With that, he rode off.

After knocking on the front door, Aerrow waited patiently. Nothing. A more firm knock on the door. No response. Right as Aerrow was about to bang on the door, Danny-Sky tried the knob, finding it unlocked. There was nobody on the other side, but the sounds of music were audible.

Entering a rather large room, Aerrow and his family were witness to quite a sight. This Johnathan guy was dancing... with Piper!

After about a minute, Piper noticed that she and her partner had guests. "Hold up, Johnny. We have company."

Johnathan stopped and looked where Piper was pointing. "Oh. So we do." He adorned a warm smile on his face. "Welcome to our observatory. How may we help you?" Johnathan Asked as Piper turned off the music player on the desk in the corner of the room.

"I was told you were an expert on a lot of things around Atmos, including animals." Aerrow stated, holding up a depressed-looking Radarr.

The Atmosian expert studied the sky monkey for a few moments. "Well, you've certainly come to the right place." Johnathan examined Radarr more closely. "Hm. How long has this sky monkey been away from it's... his natural habitat?"

"About... 34 years?"

Johnathan nodded in confirmation. "I see. An instinctive longing to return to his natural territory." He then purused his vast collection of books on a nearby wall, taking out a journal on Atmosian wildlife and flipping through its pages. "Ah. Sky monkeys can only be found in the jungles on the far side of Terra Neverlandis. Practically no one knows this, mostly due to the fact that almost nobody goes there because there's, quote, 'nothing out there'. That's not what I saw on my expedition to the jungles of Neverlandis about 12 years ago. Lots of sky monkeys hopping about in the canopy of those trees. They don't seem very bothered with my presence."

"So... what do you plan on doing?" Suzy-Lu wondered.

"I intend on returning him to the forest. Sky monkeys aren't exactly... pets." Radarr growled lightly at the word. "They don't even enjoy being referred to as such." Johnathan then gave Radarr a scratch behind the left ear. He seemed to like it. "From what I found, sky monkeys prefer the jungles of Neverlandis to the death-trap that is Terra Amazonia. Adapting to their new home in Neverlandis, getting acclimatized to every branch and tree, all a means of ensuring their survival." He put down the book.

"Hang on!" Danny-Sky spoke out. "I couldn't help but notice we've neglected to introduce ourselves. And apologize for barging in without your knowledge or consent."

Johnathan smiled at Aerrow and Suzy-Lu's son. "Oh. No worries." He then cleared his throat. "I am Johnathan Lawrence, Atmosian Chronicler of the Rex Guardians, at your service. This is my wife, Piper." Just then, a seemingly 18-year old girl walked in. Johnathan took notice. "And this is our daughter, Marion."

"I'm Aerrow, former leader of the Storm Hawks and second-in-command of the Absolute Zeros." He shook Johnathan's hand.

Suzy-Lu then stepped up to introduce herself. "The name's Suzy-Lu, Sky Knight of Blizzaris and leader of the Absolute Zeros."

Their daughter spoke up. "I'm Sierra, daughter of Aerrow and Suzy-Lu, and leader of the new Red Eagles."

"Name's Danny-Sky, son of Aerrow and Suzy-Lu, and member of the Absolute Zeros."

It was then that Piper joined in. "We already know each other, Johnny. Remember what I told you?"

Johnathan chuckled. "Yes. I remember. Aerrow and Suzy-Lu are your two best friends, and Aerrow is your former squad leader. Now then..." He clapped his hands together. "Let's get this sky monkey back to-"

"Radarr."

Aerrow's sudden interruption startled Johnathan. "Huh?"

"That's his name. Radarr."

Johnathan nodded in confirmation. "Right. Let's get Radarr back to the jungle."

Not too long later, everyone touched down on Terra Neverlandis. Oddly enough, Johnathan was hauling a large bag over his shoulder.

As they made their way to the jungle, Aerrow's former residence came into view. "My old place from before we formed the Storm Hawks..." Aerrow chuckled.

"That's your old home?" Danny-Sky wondered, approaching the abandoned structure.

Aerrow chuckled at a memory. "You know... Suzy-Lu said this place was... How did she put it...? Oh yeah. It was 'alright... for a squadless hobo.'. And I was no squadless hobo. So... moving day. Since then, this place has stood alone against the tides of time."

"I just can't believe it... You lived in THAT when the Storm Hawks disbanded." Sierra stated. "Didn't any of the others offer to let you crash at their place or something?"

"We... didn't exactly have homes outside the Condor yet." Aerrow explained. "Stork stayed with the Condor, since it's... actually his home. The rest of us had to find our way, travel our own path."

Johnathan cleared his throat. "Would you like to spend any longer heading down memory lane?" Aerrow and the others caught up with him and Piper. "Then let us be off."

As they walked through the jungle, Suzy-Lu had something on her mind. "What's in the bag?"

"Fruits and nuts." Johnathan put plainly. "So you know, sky monkeys do NOT eat bananas. Way too sweet for them."

"I think you got Radarr's attention." Danny-Sky stated. Everyone turned to look at the sky monkey, seeing a much more alert expression on his face... with a twinkle in the eyes. Johnathan grabbed an apple, tossing it to Radarr, who proceeded to consume the fruit.

It was at this point that Johnathan dropped the bag on the ground. "There we go..." Everyone sat down, hearing some distant chattering... like Radarr's. "And here come the sky monkeys." Right on cue, a large number of sky monkeys quickly approached the group, either swinging from the vines of the trees or scampering along the ground.

"I really think this is what Radarr needs." Piper said, watching as two wild sky monkeys went up and examined him, sniffing at his outfit. They jumped back a bit, not recognizing Radarr's scent. "I expected that response. He's been all over the Atmos for a while." She giggled.

One sky monkey came up and looked at Johnathan for a bit before letting out some happy noises. "As usual, they recognize me. Very good memory." The same sky monkey went right for the bag, procuring a handful of nuts. After sorting through its catch, it handed Johnathan a peanut, still in the shell. "They catch on quick to things you wouldn't expect. Before I came along, they would just take a bite and toss the rest. I've taught them to finish their meals."

"How much of an impact did you have on these guys, Johnathan?" Danny-Sky wondered.

"Only about as much as I intended. And even then, it's not really that much."

It was then that more wild sky monkeys approached Radarr. Seeing this, Aerrow joined in for some parting words. "Radarr, you've been with me every step of the way, from forming a new Storm Hawks squadron, to starting a family. It was quite the ride." The two lifelong friends smiled at each other, and Aerrow pulled Radarr into a hug. "But now, the time has come to say..." He let Radarr back down on his feet. "Goodbye, my old friend."

As Aerrow hesitantly walked away, the sky monkeys gathered around Radarr, who grew increasingly nervous.

Once everyone was back out of the jungle, Suzy-Lu put a comforting hand on Aerrow's shoulder. "I'm confident you did the right thing."

"As am I." Johnathan added. "Although, considering all the places Radarr has gone, all of the scents that have likely smeared over him, I'm not sure they'd accept him as one of their own. But if it makes you feel better, I know a canine species that doesn't have that same habitual instinct. You could have one as a pet." Out of nowhere, Radarr emerged from the jungle, followed by another sky monkey... which almost looked kinda like him, even for a sky monkey. "Oh! Will you look at that... Radarr has a brother. Didn't know that."

"For all we know, that might be his cousin." Danny-Sky stated, seeing other possibilities. "Or his father."

Johnathan shook his head. "I've studied all the fauna of Atmos for a good part of my life. If that was Radarr's father, he'd be larger than his son. And if that were to be Radarr's cousin, he'd also be of a larger size." Danny-Sky rolled his eyes.

Seeing that he was about to be left with his own kind, Radarr pried gently at his old uniform. "Keep it. It's yours." Aerrow saw the questioning concern in the sky monkey's eyes. "You can keep it in our old place here." Radarr turned his head to the abandoned structure, acknowledging its usability for storage and residence.

"On the bright side, now you can come and visit him whenever you want." Johnathan said with a smile.

Sharing one last glance, Radarr nodded, accepting his own path. He waved as the group sped off, looking forward to finally reconnecting with his birth family, and anxiously awaiting the day Aerrow and the others would return to see him again.

* * *

Error 503... Other stories... YouTube channel... Normal life... Quite a few things have been diverting my attention. But at least this chapter is finally done.

Well NOW there are reviews. Hello, J35.

Johnathan Lawrence is pretty much the opposite of I.J Domiwick in terms of personality and motives. This means he actually cares about what he discovers of his expeditions and research trips, with little-to-no regard for any profit he may receive for it.

I think it's kinda funny. Billy-Rex suggested Aerrow test his worth against Murk Raiders, only to be denied, and over 30 years later, the Murk Raiders attacked Blizzaris, and Aerrow 'passed the test'. Not only that, but Radarr suggested that Aerrow be second-in-command, only for Suzy-Lu to have him as an extra member, then promote him to second-in-command around their wedding day. Everything that was turned down actually happened at a later date.

Oh. And the canine creatures Johnathan mentioned? They're essentially the trackbeasts first seen on Terra Zartacla in the show.

So, you know how my story covers are more-or-less multiple different bits and pieces put together? Well, I looked up this pairing for the first time just last week. Fanart of it... is more than scarce. It's non-existent. Not a single one.

Anyway, I will see you all next time.


End file.
